To get the best out of your autumn container plants the trick is to place the darker leaved plants against a brighter background, such as plants with silver or variegated foliage. Avoid planting groups of darker foliage plants together, as the effect will be lost, especially if the pot is placed in a shady spot.

The pot shown here demonstrates how to plant to allow each specimen to be seen at its best. All the plants in this pot can be planted out in the border the following spring:

• The tallest plant is a conifer with soft needles called Cryptomeria “Elgans Compacta” which is slow growing but will eventually reach 3m (10ft)
• A stem of the Chinese Lantern Physalis, with its latern-like fruit has been added to the display in a blue bottle to provide extra colour – replace with other seasonal cut flowers if you wish
• A variegated Euonymus adds a touch of autumn gold. The widely available “Gold Tip” or “Emerald ‘n’Gold” is ideal
• The red-berried Skimmia Reevesiana tumbles over the edge of the pot. If you prefer white berries opt for Skimmia Japonica Fracto-albo

Don’t be afraid to mix different types of plants for strong effects in your autumn pots and containers. Evergreen shrubs will make a strong backdrop for colour flowers, and ornatimental grasses and other foliage plants, such as evergreen eurphorbias, will also give long-lasting colour.