Even before the calendar announces the start of autumn, the display of the most beautiful autumn bloomers begins on the balcony. This selection presents you with recommended species and varieties that will bring a breath of fresh air into your balcony design at the end of the season.
Which balcony plants go well with autumn?
Bergenia 'Autumn Blossom', leadwort, autumn anemone, cushion aster and autumn cranesbill are suitable for colorful autumn planting on the balcony. Dwarf hosta 'Abby', cushion purple bells 'Quicksilver' and roller spurge thrive well in the shade. Frost-resistant plants include purple bells and red moss stonecrop.
Sea of flowers under the autumn sun – tips for autumn planting
The changing seasons are reflected in the changing colors of flowers and leaves. The bright colors of summer are replaced by warm, calm tones in autumn. When the October sun shows what it's made of, the following balcony plants reach their floral peak:
- Bergenia 'Autumn Blossom' (Bergenia cordifolia): opulent, dark pink flower decorations until November
- Leadwort (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides): gentian blue flowers contrast with dark red autumn leaves
- Autumn anemone (Anemone japonica): one of the most beautiful autumn flowers for the west and east balconies
- Cushion Aster (Aster dumosus): indispensable classic in furious autumn colors for boxes and containers
- Autumn cranesbill 'Dilys' (Geranium sanguineum), the last blooming cranesbill until well into October
The Greenland daisy (Arctanthemum arcticum) is a nectar-rich farewell gift for bees, bumblebees and butterflies. With a growth height of 20 to 30 cm, their white-yellow ray flowers stand out on the autumnal balcony and are a swarmed destination for busy insects.
Leaf decorations top flowers - ideas for the shady autumn balcony
When light is in short supply on the autumnal balcony, decorative foliage plants boast magical colors. The following ideas may inspire you for imaginative autumn planting that can safely do without flowers:
- Dwarf hosta 'Abby' (Hosta): blue-green heart-shaped leaves with a golden border in all low-light locations
- Cushion purple bells 'Quicksilver' (Heuchera): shiny metallic foliage with a network of red veins
- Roller spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites): blue-green tongue leaves adorn roller-shaped shoots until winter
The wonderful false berry (Gaultheria procumbens) welcomes autumn with evergreen, shiny decorative leaves topped by red berries. The small tree reaches a height of 10 to 20 cm, so that it exudes autumnal charm in the flower box. It likes to lie in a large pot at the feet of mighty ornamental shrubs and competes for our attention with its floral contrast program.
First frost in autumn? – These balcony plants don’t give up
The survival artists among the autumn balcony plants are not deterred by the first night frosts. Purple bells (Heuchera) are frost-resistant down to -28.8 degrees Celsius, so their foliage is not damaged. Ornamental red moss stonecrop (Sedum album) also belongs to this category because - like all Sedum species - it does not weaken even in frosty temperatures.
The range of frost-resistant balcony plants for autumn also includes the fascinating purple spurge 'Purpurea' (Euphorbia amygdaloides). The purple decorative foliage on red stems maintains poise even when the mercury drops well below freezing.
Tip
Some of the most beautiful autumn bloomers are hardy and can overwinter outside as balcony plants. A warming cover made of fleece, bubble wrap or coconut mats and an insulating wooden base protect the box and bucket from freezing frost. Regular watering on mild days is just as important, because the perennials are at risk of drought stress when there is frost.