‘As Summer into Autumn slips and yet we sooner say “the Summer” than “the Autumn,” lest we turn the sun away…’ – Emily Dickinson
Autumn officially begins on the 1st of September in meteorological terms. You would think we should be glad after heatwaves, drought and hosepipe bans. Yet isn’t there a hankering to hold on to the last of the summer sun before the nights draw in?
Autumn, though, brings much to enjoy with the changing shades of colour. Rudbeckia and heleniums go boldly through the border while Japanese anemones still brightly set off the fading penstemon and aster novi-belgii reaches up to enliven late summer evenings to the end of the season. Now it’s planting time, and cuttings time, and dividing time.
Take cuttings of tender perennials grown as summer annuals, such as marguerites, pelargoniums and osteospermums, to bring indoors before the frosts. Divide herbaceous perennials and herbs. Take hardwood cuttings. Rotovate or dig borders and work in manure. Plant out spring flowering bulbs, shrubs, hardy perennials and climbers.
Choose your late autumn colour schemes for next year’s borders with a trip to the garden centre to see what perennials are available that are flowering now and into October through to December. Keep watering new plants using rainwater from your water butts collecting water from downpipes, shed and greenhouse roofs.
- Collect and sow seeds from hardy annuals and perennials
- Plant hot colours to draw the eye and cool colours for a calming effect
- Prune deciduous trees, shrubs and evergreen hedges
- Transplant perennials and trees you want to move
- Hoe out weeds
- Plant spring bulbs, daffodils, crocus, Anemone
- Wait until November to plant tulips to avoid tulip fire
- Net ponds to catch falling leaves
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