By Ambre Whatley
Autumn in the Scenic Rim marks one of the most rewarding planting seasons of the year.
The intensity of summer has given some reprieve, the soil cools, and many plants that struggled through heat and humidity thrive again.
While spring often gets the attention, cool-season gardens in our region tend to offer something steadier, with abundant leafy greens, nutrition dense herbs and flowers carrying households through the months ahead.
If you’re wondering what to sow right now, here are five reliable and beautiful choices for local gardens.
Broad beans are among the oldest cultivated crops in the world and remain one of the easiest cool-season vegetables to grow.
The tall plants produce striking black-and-white, or sometimes crimson flowers, adored by bees during winter when pollinator food sources are often limited.
Broad beans also improve soil health by fixing nitrogen back into the earth, making them valuable in crop rotation systems.
Young beans can be eaten fresh, while mature beans add substance to soups, stews and winter meals and last a very long time stored.
Coriander – now I know this one is divided! But hear me out, even if you’re not team coriander. Every part of the plant can be used, from the fresh leaves to the aromatic seeds and roots.
Coriander has been cultivated for thousands of years across Asia, the Middle East and Europe, as a culinary and medicinal herb.
If allowed to flower, it attracts myriad beneficial insects into the garden.
I let mine finish up and dry out, dropping seed and beginning the growth cycle over without any fuss by me.
Calendula brings the sunshine with its vivid gold and apricot flowers.
Traditionally used in herbal preparations for skin care and wound healing.
The petals are edible and great to sprinkle in your winter salads, or mix into scones, they’re pollinator-friendly and useful in infused oils, salves and teas.
It is one of the easiest flowers for children and beginner gardeners to grow successfully.
Bonus – the seeds are a delightful little curl shape and are very easy to collect and save.
Peas are perfectly suited to the cooler months, and a pretty flower makes way for sweet crisp pods that taste entirely different when picked fresh.
There’s bush or climbing, perfect for pots, trellises and fences, making them ideal for smaller footprint gardens.
The mature pea can be shelled and frozen or dried for storage.
Chamomile is another gentle but hardworking addition to autumn gardens.
Its small daisy-like flowers attract pollinators while the dried blossoms are widely used in calming herbal teas.
Chamomile has a long history in traditional herbal medicine for digestion, relaxation and sleep support, while also softening the edges of vegetable beds with its delicate flowers.
Of course, all your dark leafy greens, salad mixes, and brassicas can go in now successfully, too!
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