THESE reliable perennials provide subtle colours in the autumn garden, from soft creams and pinks to deep autumnal coppery-reds. They are best placed in the front of a border, as they are quite low-growing. In spring and summer they produce succulent foliage in shades ranging from grey-green to burgundy, while the flowers are a magnet for bees and butterflies. Touch the leaves on a warm day and you’ll find them cold, hence the name ice plant. These plants like well-drained soils, are drought tolerant and also make impressive additions to containers. Combine them with asters and ornamental grasses for a pretty autumn show. Good varieties include ‘Brilliant’, which bears dark pink flowers from August to November and ‘Autumn Joy’, with its salmon-pink heads turning to copper as autumn progresses.