Hardy Chrysanthemums: A Guide to Cultivating Them for Autumn Colors and Continued Blooms
Brightening Autumn Gardens with Hardy Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums, once a mainstay of the autumn garden in the UK, are making a comeback as a reliable and colourful addition to any garden. These hardy flowers are well-suited to a sunny border and can bring a pop of colour to the garden when many other flowers are fading.
One of the standout chrysanthemum cultivars is 'Rumpelstilzchen', a strong, double red chrysanthemum with smallish flowers about 4cm across. For those seeking a more subtle hue, 'Jolie Rose' offers semi-double blooms of a good pink, with a white halo in the centre. The unusual pale pink 'La Damoiselle' produces large flowers on a branching, compact plant, making it an interesting choice for late in the year.
For those who prefer a brighter colour palette, 'Ruth Treff' is a bright-yellow single chrysanthemum, and 'Herbstkuss' boasts deep petals. 'Coup de Soleil' offers bronzy orange half-double flowers, while 'Dixter Orange' is much admired for its persistent double blooms of glorious, rusty orange.
'Bronze Elegance', a sport of the pink 'Mei-Kyo', features complex, bronze pompoms. This cultivar has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) and RHS Hardiness rating H4, making it a reliable choice for UK gardens.
Hardy chrysanthemums flower in late summer and autumn, providing a long-lasting display. To ensure a bountiful bloom, a good feed of organic fertiliser in spring and a mulch layer to retain moisture will set a chrysanthemum up for the rest of the year.
For those looking to add instant impact to their border, mature plants in flower are available at garden centres in late summer and early autumn. 'Dernier Soleil', an old French chrysanthemum cultivar, can produce blooms as early as August and will continue to the frosts.
Amos Perry developed many celebrated chrysanthemum cultivars in the inter-war years, and more recently, 'Poesie', a creamy-white chrysanthemum discovered in Romania's Carpathian Mountains, has helped reignite interest in hardy chrysanthemums.
Chrysanthemums probably reached peak popularity in the UK before the Second World War, but they remain a worthwhile addition to any garden, offering a vibrant and long-lasting display in the autumn months. Whether you prefer bold reds, soft pinks, or bright yellows, there is a hardy chrysanthemum to suit every taste.
[1] Most chrysanthemums are well suited to a sunny border. [2] The best hardy chrysanthemum cultivars for a UK garden include varieties from the Pennine series, such as Chrysanthemum ‘Pennine Goal’, which are known for their toughness, reliability, and prolific blooming. [3] Another good option is Chrysanthemum 'Wessex Tang', noted for its durability and ability to withstand different environmental conditions, making it suitable for varying UK climates. [4] ‘Pennine Goal’ is praised for producing many hundreds of blooms and being very hardy, which makes them excellent choices for UK gardens where cold hardiness is important. [5] ‘Wessex Tang’ is also described as relatively hardy and adaptable, further supporting its suitability for UK conditions. [6] 'Herbstkuss' benefits from pinching out in June to provide an even denser display from October to November. [7] 'Jolie Rose' is a sturdy perennial with tidy green foliage, which holds on to its flowers late in November. [8] 'La Damoiselle' flowers in October to November, and 'Ruth Treff' flowers in August to October. [9] Mature plants in flower are available at garden centres in late summer and early autumn for instant impact in a border. [10] 'Bronze Elegance' is a sport of the pink 'Mei-Kyo' with complex, bronze pompoms. [11] They are adaptable to a range of neutral to alkaline soils. [12] 'Bronze Elegance' has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) and RHS Hardiness rating H4. [13] 'Brennpunkt' has a glorious, almost dahlia-like bloom of blood red. [14] 'Granatapfel' has nearly spherical, double flowers of intense red edged with golden yellow. [15] 'La Damoiselle' is an unusual pale pink chrysanthemum for so late in the year it produces large flowers on a branching, compact plant. [16] 'Dernier Soleil' is an old French chrysanthemum cultivar that can produce blooms as early as August and will continue to the frosts. [17] 'Ruth Treff' is a bright-yellow single chrysanthemum introduced by Christian Kress at Sarastro Nursery. [18] 'Herbstkuss' is a fantastic single chrysanthemum with deep petals. [19] 'Coup de Soleil' is a long-lived chrysanthemum selection with large, half-double flowers of bronzy orange. [20] Chrysanthemums have been re-established as a mainstay of the autumn garden. [21] Hardy chrysanthemums flower in late summer and autumn. [22] A good feed of organic fertiliser in spring and a mulch layer to retain moisture will set a chrysanthemum up for the rest of the year. [23] Rooted cuttings or young plants become available in spring. [24] 'Poesie' has helped reignite interest in hardy chrysanthemums. [25] 'Poesie' is a creamy-white chrysanthemum discovered in Romania's Carpathian Mountains. [26] Chrysanthemums probably reached peak popularity in the UK before the Second World War. [27] 'Bienchen' is a chrysanthemum with golden yellow pompoms marked with a reddish brown heart, introduced in 1974. [28] 'Granatapfel' has nearly spherical, double flowers of intense red edged with golden yellow. [29] Amos Perry developed many celebrated chrysanthemum cultivars in the inter-war years.
[1] Most hardy chrysanthemums are well suited to a sunny border in a home-and-garden setting.[2] The Pennine series, including Chrysanthemum ‘Pennine Goal’, are renowned for their toughness, reliability, and prolific blooms, making them excellent choices for a landscape in the UK.[3] Another suitable option for UK gardens is Chrysanthemum 'Wessex Tang', known for its durability and adaptability to varying climates.[20] Hardy chrysanthemums have once again become a mainstay of the home-and-garden, providing a vibrant and long-lasting display in the autumn months.
