2. Japanese anemone

(Anemone hupehensis, Anemone x hybrida)

Best time to spot them: Late August-October

Where: Eltham Palace and Gardens, Osborne, Walmer Castle and Gardens

A star of autumn gardens, these tall saucer-shaped flowers float alongside silvery buds above foliage which dies back in the winter after flowering, to return in spring the following year. These plants are sometimes also known as ‘windflowers’ for their gentle nodding movement in the wind.

Despite their common name, Japanese anemones originate from China, but have been grown in Japanese gardens for centuries. Japanese anemones were first brought to Britain by the plant collector Robert Fortune in the mid-19th century.

Japanese anemones feature in the contemporary heritage garden in Osborne’s walled garden . The swathes of pink flowers transform the area in late summer and early autumn, extending the garden’s flowering period.

4. Dahlia

Best time to spot them: August – early October

Where: Eltham Palace and Gardens, Wrest Park, Audley End House and Gardens, Osborne, Walmer Castle and Gardens

Dahlias originate from southern and central America. They were first brought to Europe in the late 18th century, but not successfully grown in Britain until the early 19th century.

The first ‘single’ flowers were soon bred to produce a variety of colours and fancier ‘double’ blooms, which became incredibly popular in the first half of the 19th century. Since then, dahlias have fluctuated in popularity, at some points being considered vulgar and only fit for allotments.

At English Heritage, dahlias can be found growing from kitchen gardens and walled gardens for cut flowers (Walmer and Wrest Park), to bedding arrangements and summer displays (Osborne, Eltham and Audley End), reflecting their changing popularity through history.

Did you know that Stonehenge once hosted dahlia shows ? During the 1840s, Stonehenge was the unlikely venue for dahlia shows, which featured competitions to find the best blooms, ‘floral devices’ – sculptures made entirely dahlias - live music, a ‘universal picnic’, and even a cricket match.

6. Chrysanthemum

Best time to spot them: Flowering September-November 

Where to see them: Audley End House and Gardens, Carisbrooke Castle, Home of Charles Darwin - Down House, Walmer Castle and Gardens.

Chrysanthemums come in a huge array of sizes, shapes and colours. They can produce a plentiful supply of cut flowers in autumn, right through to early winter.

Chrysanthemums originate from China, where they have been grown for centuries as a herb. Chrysanthemums are also very significant in Japanese culture, associated with royalty, having been brought to Japan through trade with China in around the 5th century.

Chrysanthemums are thought to have been introduced to Europe in the 17th century and were very popular as a cut flower in the 19th century as they can last for almost two weeks. At our sites, you can usually find them in kitchen gardens and cutting borders.

The diary of William Cresswell, a gardener at Audley End during the 1870s, refers to potting on Chrysanthemums into larger size pots, so we know that these autumnal flowers were grown at Audley End in the late 19th century.

8. Nerines

Best time to spot them: Flowering during September and October

Where: Eltham Palace and Gardens, Osborne, Walmer Castle and Gardens, Wrest Park

Nerines grow from bulbs and flower during September and October. They form tall stems, topped with clusters of trumpet shaped flowers with curly petals mostly commonly found in shades of pink.

The plant doesn't have visible leaves during the flowering period and are a popular bloom for flower arranging. You can find nerines at Eltham Palace, Osborne, Walmer Castle and Wrest Park, where they add a last pop of colour to the late summer planting.

Nerines are a South African plant, brought to Europe in the 17th century. There is a ‘wild’ population growing on the Channel Island of Guernsey, said to have become established after a box of the bulbs washed up on the shore following a shipwreck. This legend has helped Nerines earn the common name of ‘Guernsey Lily’.

10. Bodinier beautyberry

(Callicarpa bodinieri)

Best time to spot them: October - December

Where: Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden and Walmer Castle and Gardens

This unusual plant is a showstopper in autumn. In summer, it produces small pale purple clusters of flowers, followed by glossy, round, purple berries in the autumn.

Callicarpa originates from western and central China. It is named after Emile Marie Bodinier, a French missionary and plant collector who sent back a specimen of the plant in the 1890s. It was only made more widely available after 1907. Its striking and unusual colour made it a popular exotic choice for gardens in the early 20th century. To get the most berries, a number of plants must be grouped together, which might have caused a decline in its popularity.