Top Ten Plants September 2026

Many sedums, as they were previously called, come into their own at this time of year. They produce large, rounded, flat flowerheads on stout stems.

‘Xenox’ is a particularly good cultivar, producing numerous tiny red flowers. The plant itself grows into a neat, mounded shape with dusky-purple leaves that look good all season.

• Flowers from August to October
• Hardy
• Grows to 30cm tall and 30cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Full sun
• Exposed

Another easy-to-grow, airy and upright, late-season flowering herbaceous perennial, Rudbeckia triloba provides invaluable late-season colour.

Then, it produces black-centred, rich-yellow flowers on slender, branched stems right through until October.

• Flowers from August to October
• Hardy
• Grows to 90cm tall and 75cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Full sun
• Exposed

Hardy chrysanthemums are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, and rightly so. Many provide long bursts of colour well into late autumn and early winter.

‘Beechcroft Apricot’ is an old variety producing apricot-coloured buds. These open into pretty, large, semi-double, pinky-apricot flowers, which continue until December.

Additionally, it is also great for cut flowers.

• Flowers from September to December
• Hardy
• Grows to 100cm tall and 60cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Full sun
• Exposed

These pretty, slender-stemmed, branched herbaceous perennials are a wonderful addition to any flower border.

They create a see-through effect without shading out other plants and flower for weeks on end. Plus, this easy-to-establish plant produces masses of tiny, pretty, pink flowers at the top of the stems.

• Flowers from June to October
• Hardy
• Grows to 110cm tall and 45cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Sun or part shade
• Exposed

These upright-growing grasses come into their own during the early autumn months. Their leaf colour subtly changes from green to warm red with bronze undertones.

Airy, reddish-pink spikelets also appear, waving gently in the breeze and creating a delightfully hazy look.

• Flowers from August to October
• Hardy
• Grows to 100cm tall and 120cm wide
• Well-drained, moderately fertile, moist soil
• Full sun
• Exposed

If you have the room, this is a stunning tree with large, shiny, bright-green, star-like leaves.

These turn glorious shades of purple, orange and yellow during autumn, making it a stand-out tree at this time of year.

It’s not particularly fast-growing but is long-lived. It is best planted in grass as a specimen tree in larger gardens.

• Flowers in May
• Hardy
• Grows to 20m tall and 10m wide
• Moist, well-drained, rich soil
• Full sun
• Exposed

This variety is widely considered to produce some of the most spectacular autumn colour.

Its normally bright-green leaves turn fiery shades of brilliant scarlet. The colour lasts several weeks before the leaves fall, creating a magnificent display.

Be sure to plant it in a sheltered, shady spot, as the leaves can scorch if subjected to harsh winds.

These make wonderful specimen trees. They can also be grown successfully in containers if given adequate moisture throughout the year.

• Flowers in April
• Hardy
• Grows to 400cm tall and 400cm wide
• Well-drained, moderately fertile, moist soil
• Light shade
• Sheltered

This long-lived, easy-to-grow, late-season flowering herbaceous perennial forms dense mounds of vine-shaped leaves once established.

This cultivar produces deep-pink flowers with a satiny sheen and pale-pink backs for many weeks.

If the stems are left on the plant once flowering has finished, fluffy seeds will appear. These can provide winter food for birds.

• Flowers from August to October
• Hardy
• Grows to 90cm tall and 75cm wide
• Well-drained soil that ideally remains moist
• Sun or part shade
• Exposed

This handsome, large-leaved evergreen shrub is ideal for partly shaded spots in the garden.

Its shiny, large, tropical-looking leaves stand out, transforming an otherwise dull spot. It also produces panicles of showy, creamy-white flowers at this time of year.

It is a great choice as a focal plant for a shady part of the garden. Alternatively, pair it with bamboos in a tropical-style garden.

• Flowers from September to October
• Hardy
• Grows to 400cm tall and 400cm wide
• Well-drained soil
• Grows best in part shade but will take sun if soil remains reliably moist
• Exposed

This tough, low-growing perennial produces ivy-shaped leaves with pretty, silvery-green patterns.

Dainty flowers range from pink to magenta or white, appearing either before or with the leaves.

Also, it is ideal for planting en masse under or near trees, where the flowers will delight for weeks.

A yearly mulch of leaf mould around the crown in spring will greatly benefit growth and flowering potential.

• Flowers from September to November
• Hardy
• Grows to 15cm tall and 15cm wide
• Well-drained, humus-rich soil
• Part or light shade
• Exposed