Ahead of the game

On the first weekend of October the nation went barbeque mad! One major supermarket reportedly sold 3.5 million sausages and 10 million bottles of beer and seaside towns like Skegness were inundated with day-trippers determined to make the most of the Indian summer. Well, Indian weekend at least! The slightly manic feeling seemed to reflect the frustration of a nation still waiting for summer and knowing that, actually, we were well on the way to the next season. The progress of the geese, chattering noisily overhead in orderly formation, was a timely reminder that nature’s schedule is moving on, and with that my thoughts also moved on, to what to do in the garden.

Beginning or End?

While traditionally people often start thinking of putting the garden to bed in the autumn, there is a good argument to suggest that the horticultural season, much like the schools, actually starts at this time of year. There is certainly plenty that can be done that will set the garden up nicely for next year, which means you might even be one step ahead of the game come the Spring. But that’s dangerous talk!  

Things to think about

If you like tweaking the design of your garden, now is a good time to assess what has worked and what has not, and consider changes to the layout, structure and planting. Would the garden benefit from some more hedging, perhaps to create another ‘room’ or screen the oil tank, or a couple of trees to frame a nice view. Does the patio need to be a little bigger and what should you plant in the border where that gap appears in August? We have two small borders in our garden. One simply has roses, catmint, alchemilla mollis and Carex elata and has looked good since the Spring (the roses are still in flower now).  The other border has not done so well, principally because the Knautia Macedonia looks spectacular one minute and a mildew infested mess the next. Perhaps one Knautia instead of two would be best, with an additional plant to accompany the stipa tenuissima for the rest of the year. 

Things to do

While your planning and scheming, don’t forget that there is plenty of work to do as well! Here’s a list of some jobs worth getting on with at this time of year:-

Bulb planting. Daffodils, alliums and anemones are some that are ready to plant now. Have your tulips on standby for planting in November after the first couple of heavy frosts.

Seed sowing. There is still time to sow some hardy annuals such as cornflowers, sweetpeas and marigolds in a cold greenhouse.

Dividing and replanting herbaceous perennials.

Planting bareroot trees and hedges. Don’t forget to stake the trees.

Mulching. A layer of bark, manure or weed free compost on the borders will keep your plants happy and save on weeding next year.

Prepare for leaf collection (the more the better as leaf mould is garden gold)

Happy gardening and don’t forget to enjoy the autumn colour and other seasonal pleasures.