3 Reasons to Plant Sedum Autumn Joy

In the garden there are - or at least there should be - a group of plants that give a permanent backbone for all the other planting in your garden. You might already have planted your evergreens and other structural plants like conifers, evergreen shrubs and trees etc. Did you know that you need those similar plants in a smaller scale too? That’s when plants like Sedum Autumn Joy steps into the play.

You need ´staying power´ and so does your flowerbed 

Sedum Autumn Joy is not an evergreen, but it does got a lot of ´staying power´. It’s one of those plants that really earn their place in the garden. And Autumn Joy is certainly one of them. It has been around forever and for a good reason. If it does not ring a bell, you might know it better with the name stonecrop or Sedum ´Herbstfreude´. Yes - it’s the same plant.

Why to plant Sedum Autumn Joy:

1. Peak performance 

You are charmed by fresh green rosettes when they burst from the ground in spring. The clump forming habit has a strong architectural presence that develops early in the seasons and keeps its´ posture until late autumn.

Little by little  flowers turn from fresh green into lovely rose colour. In the autumn Autumn Joy turns slowly into delicious chocolate brown still keeping its´ form long into the colds of winter.  I think that Autumn Joy is always having its´ peak performing moment. 

2. Skeletal plant 

You need these stable plants to supports other plants in their roles on the planting area. With its´prominent foliage and late-summer flowers Autumn Joy really earns is place as part of the backbone forming plants. Their role is keep planting cohesive and the show going through all seasons.

In addition it is tolerant, trustworthy and drought-loving plant. It enjoys full sun and shares happily its´ place in the sun with others.

And like famous plantswoman Beth Chatto says ” too many star performers lumped together can become quarrelsome”.

 
3. Nectar for bees and butterflies

We can do our share to support wildlife and call butterflies to feast in our garden. Stonecrops are valuable in that sense too. They offer food for nectar feeding insects like butterflies and bees until the first snow.

There are no toxic effects reported to people, animals or birds.

So I really think that Sedum Autumn Joy earns its place in your garden. As it does in mine and also in my design clients´ gardens.

Any need for supporting actors? And the Oscar goes to ...

Like in this garden whose owners happened to love paeonies. Paeonies are those lovely star performers who need trustworthy supporting actors to keep going through the whole summer. And surprisingly they are not at all a boring combination!

For this planting I combined pink and scarlet paeonies, sedum Autumn Joy and bergenias backed up with a little crafted flowering tree. Sprinkeled with early spring flowering bulbs underneath. They all look so nice together!

PLANT FACTS:

Actually even though we are so used to calling Autumn Joy a sedum, it’s time to start learning a new name for it. At least I do.

Official botanical name for Autumn Joy is Hylotelephium ´Herbstfreude´. What a name! Lovely Autumn Joy is actually only its´ commercial name.

You can call the plant with any name to enjoy it in your garden. However botanical names help you to choose the right plant at the garden centre. And that's something that we love, don't we?

Now you.

Have you got Sedum Autumn Joy in your garden? How about the name - how do you call it?

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See you!