Autumn/Winter Window Box

The autumnal weather this week made me think about changing some of my pots a little early. Some violas caught my eye at the garden centre, and suddenly I was planning my Autumn/Winter pots.

This one is very simple, and cheap. Three Viola “Primrose Blotch” flank two Heuchera “Palace Purple”. It is underplanted with Tulipa “Calgary Flames”.

The Heuchera was bought as one plant which I instantly split in two, by pulling the root ball in half and teasing out a more-or-less even number of growth points at the top. The violas came from a discounted tray of pre-grown bedding.

I’ll be deadheading the violas regularly (by snipping the flower stems down at the base as soon as flowers start to wilt) and hoping they will carry on flowering through the winter. The Heucheras should bulk up over the next few weeks, giving a lovely bronzey-green-purple foliage effect. The tulips – which are short and have white cup-shaped flowers with a yellow flame shape on the outer tepals – will come through in March, giving me some final pleasure before I change the pot back to some vibrant summer planting.