Recommended plants for good Autumn foliage

For the large garden:

Fraxinus americana (American Ash)

Liquidambar formosana (Formosan gum)

Quercus nigra (Water oak)

Quercus palustris (Pin oak)

Taxodium distichum (Swamp cypress) – prefers damp conditions.

For the medium-sized suburban garden:

Acer buergerianum (Chinese maple) – colours best in cold regions

Betula sp. (Birch) – does well in cold, frosty regions

Celtis Africana (White stinkwood)

Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair tree)

For the small garden:

Crataegus phaenopyrum (Washington thorn) – also bears clusters of berries.

Prunus subhirtella (Rosebud cherry)

Berry-bearing plants:

Try training berry-bearing plants like Cotoneasters flat against bare walls (called espaliering) in a fan shape. This is ideal for small gardens where space is at a premium.

Callicarpa bodinieri (Beauty Berry) – clusters of vivid pink-purple berries at intervals around bare stems.

Cotoneaster spp. – graceful shrubs with green-grey foliage and bunches of small, red berries.

Nandina domestica (Heavenly bamboo) – an oriental-looking plant with layers of leaves growing horizontally from upright stems; bunches of red berries.

Rose hips – the fruits of many old fashioned or species roses come in different shapes and sizes; they bring colour to autumn gardens in colder regions.

Viburnum opulus (Guelder rose) – leaves often begin turing while berries are on the bush.