Autumn brings plenty of rain, so the right pot with proper drainage is essential before you even consider the plants inside.

Choose containers with adequate drainage holes and raise them slightly on pot feet so excess water can escape freely. If you let roots sit in cold, waterlogged compost, your plants won’t last the season. The same drainage rules that protect pots in a summer heatwave apply here.

For cold weather, try frost-proof terracotta, glazed ceramic, or good-quality fibre clay pots. The larger, the better, as they’ll hold more compost, dry out more slowly, and give roots a little extra insulation.

Fill with a fresh, peat-free multi-purpose compost and mix through a few handfuls of horticultural grit to keep everything free-draining.

For a display that lasts, mix long-flowering autumn bedding plants with evergreen foliage. 

Below are some suggestions.

Winter pansies and violas

You can’t have an autumn bedding display without winter pansies. 

From autumn through spring, you’ll get reliable flowers that shrug off frost and bounce back after cold spells. Violas might be smaller but are even more prolific, coping better with wet weather.

Deadhead regularly, and they'll keep producing colour for months.

Cyclamen

A hardy cyclamen plant is a great choice for a splash of pink, red or white. Cyclamen hederifolium and Cyclamen coum are the truly hardy varieties, with pretty marbled leaves that look good even when they're not in flower.

Heather

Add some texture with winter-flowering heathers; they’ll also reward you with a carpet of tiny pink, purple or white bells that bees will visit on milder days. Compact, tough and evergreen, they are one of the most dependable winter plants for pots.

Ornamental cabbage and kale

Ornamental cabbage and kale are always a welcome addition to any garden and really get people talking. They also bring bold rosettes of frilled purple, pink and cream leaves which look great. The colour actually intensifies as temperatures drop, so they only get better as the season goes on.

Skimmia

Skimmia japonica 'Rubella' is a favourite for autumn containers thanks to its glossy evergreen leaves and clusters of deep red buds that hold all winter before opening in spring. It provides the height and structure that ties a mixed display together.

Grasses and trailing ivy

Carex and other small ornamental grasses add movement and a bronze or gold tone, while variegated ivy trails over the rim of the pot and fills any gaps. They are a great way to finish with something soft around the edges. Check our best low maintenance container flowers guide for more.

It isn’t rocket science; there is, in fact, a simple formula to follow:

- Thriller: one taller plant in the centre or at the back for height, such as skimmia or an upright grass.

- Filler: autumn flowers such as pansies, cyclamen and heather around it to fill the body of the pot.

- Spiller: trailing ivy or a small grass around the edge to tumble over the sides.

Plant everything a little closer together than you would in summer. Growth slows right down as the weather cools, so you want the display to look full from day one rather than waiting for it to fill out. 

Firm the compost gently around each plant, water well and top with a layer of bark or decorative grit to lock in moisture and keep everything looking neat.

Stick to two or three colours for the most striking result. Deep purple and silver, or copper, burgundy and cream, both look wonderful in low autumn light.

The same plants work just as well in autumn hanging baskets. Choose a basket with a good liner, use compact varieties such as violas, trailing pansies and small-leaved ivy, and hang it somewhere sheltered from the strongest winds. Baskets dry out faster than pots, even in autumn, so check them regularly. Our guide on how often you should water hanging baskets explains what to look for.

Autumn plants need far less attention than summer bedding, but a little care will keep them looking their best:

- Water sparingly: only when the top few centimetres of compost feel dry. Overwatering is the biggest cause of failure at this time of year.

- Deadhead regularly: remove spent blooms from pansies, violas and cyclamen to keep the flowers coming.

- Hold off on feeding: growth is slow and fresh compost has all the nutrients your plants need until spring.

- Protect from hard frosts: move containers to a sheltered spot or wrap them in fleece during a very cold snap, especially terracotta pots.

- Clear fallen leaves: any that collect on top of the pot can trap moisture and encourage rot.

With a little planning in September or October, a single autumn container display can carry your space right through to spring.

Choose the right pot, combine long-flowering bedding with evergreen structure, and give it a little care, and you'll have colour to enjoy even on the greyest winter days.

And if you want something to brighten things up indoors, now's the time to start getting an amaryllis to bloom for Christmas.