The cold weather is quickly approaching and with the days getting darker you may not want to spend as much time outdoors, but now is the time when your garden looks the most glorious with the Autumn colours flowing through. And after all there is still a lot to be done in October to keep your garden looking good over the colder months ready for Spring and Summer!

Lawn Care

This month is likely to be the last chance you will get to trim your grass before it’s too wet and frosty to mow. Before mowing, ensure you have removed all the fallen leaves from the grass and added them to the compost bin. It’s best to choose a dry week to avoid mowing over wet grass as this can damage the turf and compact the soil.

For established lawns you should apply Autumn fertiliser and lawn seed to self-repair your lawn over the Winter season ready for the warmer months ahead.

Garden Clearing

Greenhouses, ponds and gutters may all need clearing out from the use over the summer months and wooden garden furniture will need to be covered or stored away somewhere dry.

We also recommend cutting back herbaceous perennials to restore order and tidiness to the garden which will also help to improve the appearance and flowering.

A big garden clear up in the Autumn is important to avoid hassle in the garden when the days start to warm up again, so clearing and taking care of your garden throughout the Autumn and Winter is essential.

Plants for Autumn Colour

You can still have colour throughout Autumn with a range of plants, see our recommendations below.

Skimmias – fantastic evergreen shrub that flowers now throughout Winter and then produces berries.

Cotinus – dark coloured foliage that adds impact to your beds & borders.

Cyclamen – delicate flowers that withstand temperatures down to -8c.

Pansies & Violas – great for an instant hit of colour in your pots or baskets that flower throughout Winter.

Planting Containers

• Use a free draining compost with add loam so plants don’t get saturated
• Always stand pots on feet during Winter to prevent drainage holes getting blocked and the pots filling up with water and drowning their roots.
• Small berry-bearing shrubs included in seasonal patio and pot arrangements can be removed in Spring and planted out in the garden.