November seems more like October this year with the glorious autumn colours carrying on well into what is usually a dismal month. I always used to dislike this gloomy time of the year in the garden, but that was before I discovered hardy chrysanthemums. They start blooming in September but I seek out the later-flowering ones which start in October and carry on into November. They light up the garden in rainbow colours, but they are also long lasting in a vase. I still have dahlias in bloom but most years I rely on chrysanthemums for vibrant late colour.
I set them off with a few plumes of various grasses. This rare Chrysanthemum ‘Buxton Ruby’ is the darkest one I have. It has sprays of frilly little flowers with a yellow daisy centre.
Autumn colours are here with the apricots, orange and yellows. Chrysanthemum ‘Picasso’ is rather rare. It is fully double with masses of small apricot flowers. It makes quite a compact plant .
As well as oranges and bronzes I have quite a few yellow chrysanthemums, the one I used here is Chrysanthemum ‘Cottage Lemon’. It is still going strong although the asters in the photo which I took a few weeks ago are over now. So the clump no longer looks like a fried egg, sunny side up.
The vibrant bronze one in the centre is perhaps my favourite chrysanthemum of all. It is the peerless Chrysanthemum ‘Chelsea Physic Garden’ which has double flowers with golden lights on the backs of the petals. It lasts late into the year and I sometimes pick it on Christmas Day.
I have popped a few pinks in the vase; I probably wouldn’t mix these colours in summer but at this time of the year I am happy to have a kaleidoscope of clashing colours. One of my favourite pinks has quilled pink flowers and was discovered in a garden here in Suffolk. It is called ‘Mavis Smith’ and makes very vigourous plant.
I have just one white chrysanthemum and it has lovely raggy white double flowers. It is called ‘Edelweiss’. It really lights up the vase.
For the dining table I made a little arrangement in a little Danish vase which I am rather fond of .
I used some sprigs of Mahonia x media ‘Charity’ which always blooms in November and various salvias which are still lingering
Chrysanthemum ‘Marion’ has a lovely, semi-double coppery-orange flower with a yellow ring round the centre
The pink double one in the above photo is a Jaapanese chrysanthemum called ‘Kei Kyo’. It looks lovely growing with blue Salvia uliginosa annd the red butterfy flowers of the China Rose ‘Bengal Beauty’ which is in bloom for months on end.
If I still haven’t persuaded you to try growing chrysanthemums to fill up your October and November vases, then here are a few more.
Many thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for encouraging us to go out on a gloomy day looking for flowers to put In a Vase on Monday.
Chloris
The Blooming Garden 
Goodness, what a stunning collection. They’re all lovely but my favourite is Edelweiss, what a beauty. Loved the vase displays too and the vases. xxx
Thank you Dina. I am going to have to tie a knot in my hankie to remind me to send you a rooted bit of Edelweiss in the spring.
My goodness, what a glorious cacophony of colours and what an amazing collection of chrysanthemums you have, Chloris! Your vase really sums up this late autumn season so thanks for sharing it
I am crazy about chrysanths, they really light up the autumn garden and they are great for picking.
Goodness me, so many mums! And some will be blooming thru Christmas!! These are both quite gorgeous bouquets!
Thank you Chris. Most of them will be finished for Christmas buy ‘Chelsea Physic Garden’ should keep going.
Those are great mums that can make it so late in the year. Your vases are beautiful.
Thank you. Yes, some of them start blooming in October but later ones start in November and carry on late into the year.
You have quite a Chrysanthemum collection! I love ‘Picasso’, ‘Marion’ and ‘Chelsea Physic Garden’. I don’t care much for Chrysanthemum foliage and, in my climate, I prefer evergreen plants but I would definitely grow mums as annuals (or possibly pots that could be tucked away during their off season) if more interesting varieties were available here. However, our garden centers generally offer pitiful and very ordinary plants this time of year. I tripped across a red and yellow variety called ‘Rainbow Circus’ this year, though, and it landed in a pot formerly occupied by a dahlia.
Some of these chrysanthemums are only available at specialist nurseries and the rarest ones come from Plant Heritage which does a wonderful job of conserving rare plants.
Love seeing your displays of chrysanthemums, both inside and out. Chrysanthemum ‘Picasso’ is striking and Edelweiss is pure as snow. The vases you chose work well–I especially love the Danish one with the little bird. So lovely, all.
Thank you Susie. I love that little vase,it is perfect for posies.
A beautiful collection of mums you have, Liz!
Thank you Eliza. You can never have too many mums. I love them.
Beautiful vase, beautiful arrangement, and beautiful flowers. My mums are just done, but they are so cheery while they last, aren’t they? 🙂
Thank you Beth. Yes, they are cheery I love them.
Your Chrysanthemums are all gorgeous – such a lovely mix of colours. 😃
That’s why I love them so much, they come in such a wonderful range of jewel colours.
Yes, that is an excellent collection. All those cultivars would take up considerable space in the garden.
Thank you. Fortunately I have a large garden and plenty of room. My autumn garden is so much brighter since I started growing chrysanthemums.
You have some absolute beauties in your vase Chloris. I’ve not grown any chrysanthemums since my allotment days so must have a crack at them again in the garden. The spider varieties look most tempting. Although I’m not keen on the smell of their foliage it seems to deter molluscs which is most desirable state of affairs 😀
If you would like some cuttings in the spring, then please remind me and tell me which ones you would like.
Magnificent mums, Liz. Is chysanths a UK nickname? Have never heard anyone say it here. The white one really lights up the arrangement, but I agree with you about Chelsea Physic Garden it is my favorite as well.
Thank you Amy. People seem to say Chyrsanths more often than mums here. I only called them that because it made a snappy title.
Very snappy.
The hardy chysanthemums are great plants and ought to be more popular. Dad used to call them chrysanths, although it sounded more like chrysants.
I think they are becoming more popular now. I used to dislike them but since Suffolk Plant Heritage acquired and made available such lovely ones I am hooked.