“The third day comes a frost, a killing frost.” William Shakespeare
So far, through October we have largely escaped the frost and the Indian summer has seen bees and wasps still active right at the end of the month. However, change is inevitable as we march towards the darker days and those frosts will come.
There are several jobs to get done, the obvious being to protect tender plants and vegetables from the onset of winter, either by bringing them indoors, such as pelargoniums and fuchsias, into a conservatory or greenhouse, and covering vegetables with cloches or horticultural fleece. Digging over borders and working in farmyard manure and compost will also let the frosts break down the soil for a rich tilth come spring planting.
Some plants in the herbaceous border will benefit from being cut back to ground level while others can be left as they are with flower stems and foliage helping to protect them through the winter. It’s handy to keep a journal with all your plants listed with notes alongside to remind you what needs doing and when.
We tend to think of November as a dull and dreary month, with the clocks changed and the days short but the garden can still be bright and colourful with plantings of evergreens and late flowering plants such as asters, the Michaelmas daisies, with over 180 species to choose from. Some can grow quite tall and spread, taking over in the border so it’s wise to check before planting into an existing display.
Pansies, violas, primrose and polyanthus in the ground or containers nestle down with backdrops of heather and ivy to brighten the days ahead. It’s always worth a trip to the garden centre to pick up plants that are flowering now through to December.
- Other flower and shrub ideas for colour include alstroemeria, aconitum and helleborus
- Dig, manure, prune and plant, feed the birds
- Plant bare rooted roses and fruit trees
- Plant for spring with anemone, Campanula, Sweet William and irises
- Plant tulip bulbs on a layer of coarse grit
- Plant Buddleia to draw in butterflies next year
- Lay turf for a new lawn or repair
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