Gardening by Month - October

Autumn is a stunning time of year for nature. With an addition or two in your garden, you can enjoy wonderful autumnal colour. Why not give your garden a seasonal boost?

Native hedges such as hazel, dogwood, hawthorn and birch help encourage a host of wildlife, bringing nature and diversity into your garden. Dogwood is particularly good for autumn colour.

Many sedum varieties come into their own around now, including ‘Autumn Joy’ with its clusters of mellow red flowers. They are drought tolerant, low maintenance and will usually spread. The aster comes in a range of late season colours and like the sedum, it attracts pollinators.

It’s not too late to choose some spring bulbs. The sooner they go in the ground, the better. You could plant them in a container and overplant with winter pansies and violas.

Autumn flowering camellias will be budding now. Make sure camellias are planted in acid (ericaceous) compost. They need a sheltered position and can also be planted in a patio container.

Plant fruit now for a crop next summer, including apples and pear trees, raspberry bushes and blueberries. Remember to keep any new additions watered during dry spells. It’s easy to forget this time of year!

Now the weather is cooler, it’s good to get out in the fresh air and tidy the garden. Cut back fading flowering plants. Get rid of weeds and dead leaves. Prune hedges and bay trees, and if you have a pond, remove dead leaves through the season.

Add mulch and well-rotted manure to your soil. Mulching around plants can help retain moisture and regulate temperature.

Provide food, water and shelter for wildlife. Check out the range of wildlife habitats, along with bird baths, bird tables and feeders at Garsons. Keep some of your garden a little wild to provide habitats.

Until next month, make the most of autumnal weather in the garden.