Summer is officially over. And what a great summer the country had this year. But now the weather is starting to cool off, which means it's time to think about planting for the colder months.Typically when people think of autumn gardens they think of darker, more subdued colours, but this doesn't need to be the case. Cornflowers will add a splash of vibrant colour to any garden. What's more, they're really easy to grow.

Cornflowers come in several colours including pink, red, lavender, blue or white. Our tall red variety grows well next to stocks and snapdragons because they like the same conditions and they'll hold each other up. I also like to plant this variety amongst my lavender, roses or delphiniums for the same reasons.

All you need is a sunny, well-drained spot with soil that isn't too sour. Before you start planting, I recommend adding a good general fertiliser like nitrophoska blue or blood and bone to help give the seedlings a good kick-start.

Then dig a little hole and plant each seedling around 10cm apart. They're quite upright growing plants and planting at this space apart will allow them to support the weight of each other.

Don't have much space? Our mixed dwarf variety grows really well in pots. Try planting cornflowers in the centre of your pot and lobelias around the outside.

In around six to eight weeks your plants will start to flower and provide a splash of colour for autumn.