Along both sides of the Rhododendron Walk border the large, circular leaves of moisture-loving Darmera peltata, or ‘Californian Umbrella Plant’, have always been one of the most showy seasonal delights. In 1913 Osgood Mackenzie wrote of their ‘good splashes of scarlet and crimson’.
Dahlias can be relied on to give good September colour. Yellow ‘Honka’, besides the Gate Lodge, with an unusual, star-like, eight-petalled flower, is a new variety for Inverewe.
The shocking-pink, long-lasting flowers of the clusters of Nerine bowdenii, a South African bulb, catch the eye at the base of the high sandstone wall in the Walled Garden.
Always a talking point, the fast-growing ‘Shoo-fly’ from Peru (Nicandra physalodes) has pale blue-and-white bell-like flowers. They last less than a day each but develop into dark, ‘Chinese lantern’ fruits which can be dried for winter decoration.
The leaves of Colchicum, the so-called ‘Autumn Crocus’ come through in Spring, then die back. This ‘double’ variety is ‘Water Lily’, with stunning lavender flowers. It is in the border of the lawn below the Turkey Oak.



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Eccremocarpus, the ‘Chilean Glory Vine’, is a sub-tropical plant growing on a frame in the Walled Garden. The tubular, orange-red flowers have been seen in profusion all summer.
Cheerful, daisy-like Gazania, this one an ‘Aztec’ cultivar, blooms profusely. It is to be found in South Africa, one of the wide variety of colourful bedding plants which fill these raised terrace beds all summer.
Eucomis, or the ‘Pineapple Lily’, with its yellow-green starry flowers, tipped with a tuft, (hence the name), is not considered hardy. Yet it came through the harsh winter of 2010-11 to throw up its fascinating spikes once more under the rhododendrons along the Drive.
It can’t be denied that September is an Autumn month at 58° north. Viburnum are one of the first shrubs to colour red, others of note include Chinese Rowans and Japanese maples.
Inverewe is a fungi-hunter’s paradise at this time of year. The poisonous Fly Agaric is one of the easiest to spot.