Whilst some gardeners might be feeling a little blue that the summer months are drawing to a close, there's no need to despair… autumn has something to offer lovers of the outdoors too.
Autumn can actually be a great time to get out in to the garden, and is essential time to make preparations for the year to come. Brave a bit of the rain to follow this guide and your garden will repay you tenfold come spring… we swear!
September and October are great gardening months – really! It's all about getting out there while the weather's still warm enough for you to enjoy - or at least not dread – immersing yourself in the outdoors.
One way to keep your garden looking friendly in autumn and winter, when plants and flowers can seem to go a little AWOL, is to invest in a few pieces of quality garden accessories. Personally, I love the natural look of home and garden store Bents' collection of wicker garden furniture. The light colours remind me of the saplings which will be back in springtime!
Don't tidy up too much when trying to make things look nice though. It's easy to get a little carried away when it comes to raking, but not only are fallen leaves and foliage great fun for kids… and grownups… to jump around in, they can look really quite beautiful. Why not take some snaps of your garden this autumn and revel in its golden glory for the rest of the year? Leaves and foliage also provide a protective blanket for vulnerable perennials, keeping them safe from harsh frosts or, even worse, snow!
Autumn is also the time to start planting trees and shrubs for next spring. Planting early will make sure that your new plants have time to establish themselves before the spring, plus planting in autumn is a lot more fun than trying to dig rock-hard, frosty ground.
Of course you don't have to fill your garden with brand new plants, as it's easy to create new plants from the ones you already have! Take 10cm cuttings from hardwood herbs such as bay, or rosemary and plant in pots of premium soil for the best results possible.
One thing we intend to change following the fire is the way we water the bottom section of the garden. We had been intending to install an irrigation system to water the tree ferns for quite some time - and even bought a selection of materials from Hozelock with which to do it. However like all good intentions this was one project we had not got round to.
However with the planning for the restoration of that part of the garden well under way, we intend to put to put that right, and set up an irrigation plan. I would like to ensure we can't forget to water so will use an automatic timer - the one pictured is a Hozelock AC Pro from EasyWatering.co.uk.
With the area fairly clear at the moment it should be easy to hide the pipework and then cover it all over with fresh bark chips.
As well as the tree ferns, which will have a dripper fitted to the crown of each plant, we will put in sprayers and misters to ensure the area around them gets regular water too. No doubt I will still go out with the hose and water everything by hand as well as that's an enjoyable experience and one where I get to see how the plants are doing. You get to spot things coming into flower or weeds that need removing!
So hopefully by spring we will have a full irrigation set up in the jungle area!
We love this, Mind Your Own Business plant (Soleirolia soleirolii) in between the paving stones in the front garden.
With our house makeover coming along, and not to mention thoughts of the plans for the garden. We have been spending quite a lot of our online time looking at furniture and ideas to incorporate into the new home and garden spaces we are currently creating. We are going for quite a contemporary look combining sleek modern style with the 1930s era of our home. One of the key aspects is using natural materials where possible.
We are planning quite a few changes both inside and out and want to streamline the overall look whilst at the same time linking the new indoor spaces with the outside. We were particularly impressed with the Felix Oak Dining Table from Oldrids and Downtown (featured above), which has made it onto our shortlist of new furniture and may well make an appearance in the newly made over home!