Brilliant sunflowers and yellow blooms

I came across a beautiful sunflower called Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' which is a very crisp, fresh lemon yellow flowered perennial that looks very beautiful with the Dahlia 'Thomas A. Edison', the dark magenta flowers of this particular Dahlia need a crisp yellow to show them off to their very best.

Perennial sunflowers come in different shades of yellow and the one in the photo is called Helianthus 'Loddon Gold', a herbaceous perennial making a clump to 1.5m in height, with full double, deep yellow flower-heads. You can propagate this plant in late autumn or spring by dividing it. Pruning wise, it just requires a prune right back after it finishes flowering.

As you know, yellow can dominate as a colour and it's important to use complementary colours with it. Burnt oranges and pinks work well and Eupatorium purpureum with its wine coloured stems and pink flower heads take the heat out of yellow and mellows it a bit.

Ricinus in the middle of a border flanked by Helianthus and Senecio tanguticus will last colour wise, until you absolutely have to put the flower border to bed for the winter. In case you haven't come across Senecio before, it gives height with delicate yellow flowers and, later in the season, lovely fluffy seedheads.

I always recommend when you go to visit any garden, that you take a little notebook and a camera if possible. Take a photo of the plant that interests you, getting in a bit of the background so you can see what other plants it works alongside.

It really is only by visiting gardens and nurseries that you start to see a pattern emerging in terms of plants. What sets each garden apart is their plant combinations and you can learn so much in terms of how they place their plants in the herbaceous borders.

It is never too late to add plants into a border and we are coming into a time of the year when we can divide plants, collect seeds and generally ensure that the herbaceous borders are working to full potential come next summer.

Division can be undertaken in late autumn or spring depending on your workload. Perennial sunflowers like the varieties Helianthus 'Lemon Queen and 'Loddon Gold' can be easily divided. Just lift the plant out of the ground and split it with a spade.

'Roots and shoots' has to be your mantra when dividing plants. Without roots and growing tips, the severed piece of plant will struggle. If you are nervous of digging the whole plant out of the ground then just slice a bit of the plant away from the main plant, known as the mother plant, with roots and some leaves attached and away you go. Replant into another part of the garden or pot up for a friend.

It's like everything else, it takes a bit of time and effort but the reward and satisfaction you get from it is amazing.

Howth and Sutton Horticultural Society will hold their Autumn Show today in St Nessan's community school, Moyclare Road, off Warrenhouse Road, Baldoyle, Dublin 13 from 2.30-4.30pm.

Exhibits of plants, flowers, cookery, vegetables, fruit, crafts and art are welcome. Entry forms and show rules are available on hshs.ie or from the secretary (086 818 3709).