Top 5 Jobs For The Autumn Garden

Tuesday, 07 November 2023

With Halloween and Bonfire Night now behind us we are safely in the realms of autumn with the glorious carpets of red, gold and bronze leaves it brings. As we spend less time relaxing in our gardens there are still a few jobs on our to-do list for the coming weeks – here’s our top 5 jobs for the autumn garden…

1. Hold Back

The first job is our favourite! Sit back with a cup of tea (and preferably a nice slice of cake!) and don’t go racing in on a tidying frenzy. The wildlife will thank you for leaving seed heads in place and they will look great covered in winter frost. Instead, think about what plants you can add next year which look great though winter such as verbena bonariensis, hydrangea, eryngium and grasses. If you want ideas of plants which have beautiful seed heads in winter read our blog The Glory of Seedheads.

Grasses look wonderful covered in frost

2. Collect Seeds

Talking about seed heads, now is the time to go for a stroll around the garden on a lovely sunny day and collect seeds from the plants you want to grow again next year, from nasturtiums to sunflowers, calendula to poppies, there are plenty to choose from that are easy to propagate. Just remember to leave some for the birds.

3. Plant bulbs

It is the perfect time of year to add some Spring bulbs to the garden so you have a plethora of colour in the garden in a few months time. Bulbs are an inexpensive way to add beautiful flowers at a time of year when we are desperate for colour back in our gardens again.

That’s a BIG box of bulbs to plant!

4. Frost Protection

As the temperatures begin to fall it is time to look out those fleecy blankets or to bring tender plants indoors. Then we can all be cosy and not feel guilty!

5. Help Wildlife

By heeding Point 1 you will be doing lots to help the local wildlife but keeping bird feeders clean and filled up, creating bug or hedgehog hotels, creating wildlife teepees, leaving leaf bundles and creating log piles will all support wildlife and the eco system.