Gardeners urged to sow these flowers in September for 'gorgeous' autumn display

Gardens may still be adorned with summer blooms, but green-fingered enthusiasts can start planning now to prep for the next season's flowers - and just a little work in September can yield wonderful results, reports the Express.

Lucie Bradley, a gardening expert from family-run gardening good supplier Two Wests and Elliott, has suggested her pick of the best plants to sow now to create a "gorgeous" spectacle this autumn. Lucie advised: "Hardy chrysanthemums can be used for hanging baskets, but stick to the miniature varieities. There is usually a huge range of colours to choose from."

"Hardy cyclamen are perfect for adding a touch of colour with their healthy green leaves, slim stems and bold blooms."

According to Lucie, these come in shades of white, pink and red, making them an excellent choice for adding a burst of colour to your autumn garden.

Primroses also make a great selection as they flourish in compact spaces and offer vibrant shades.

Lucie further added: "Winter heathers flower through winter, adding a touch of colour and texture to your basket."

For a mix of contrast and texture, it's recommended to incorporate some foliage plants into the containers.

The gardening guru suggested ivies, cineraria, heuchera and ornamental cabbages and grasses for this purpose.

In addition to planting for autumnal colour, gardeners can also begin sowing plants for early spring colour.

Lucie explained: "Depending on which part of the UK you live in and what you are sowing, the weather can affect whether you can sow hardy annuals directly into the ground or start them off in a greenhouse or cold frame."

Hardy annuals can be sown directly into the garden including cornflowers, lupin, salvia and larkspur. The expert also recommended candytuft, cerinthe, clary, and California poppy.

Lucie continued: "Success at sowing directly into the ground is very weather-dependent, but it does result in big, strong plants in spring that have developed a healthy root system.

"Use garden fleece or cloches to protect plants from cold weather spells."