My garden is definitely looking very much like an autumn garden now; the leaves are starting to fall, the apple tree is weighed down with fruit, and most of the plants are dying back after a summer of flowering. Things are gradually slowing down, and that change of pace brings with it opportunity.
With relatively mild weather and less garden maintenance required, autumn is a brilliant time of year to tackle new projects in the garden. Here are some ideas for autumn garden projects to make your outdoor space even better next year.
Look after your lawn
Heavy use and dry weather during summer can leave lawns looking worse for wear. Give yours some attention before the colder weather stops the grass growing, and it will be off to a flying start in spring.
A good raking session – also known as scarifying – that removes dead grass, moss and leaves will give new shoots room to grow, and allow water to sink in better. If you’ve got areas of lawn that have been compacted by lots of traffic, loosen the ground up by using a garden fork to make holes at regular intervals. Finish off by feeding your lawn with an autumn lawn fertiliser; these have high levels of potash and phosphates to encourage strong roots, which is what you need for next year’s growth.
If you have bare patches in your lawn, early to mid autumn is also a good time to sow new grass seed.
Re-think your patio
A patio area can transform how much you use your garden, providing additional space to entertain, spend some family time, or just relax and enjoy the view. Autumn is a great time to install a patio or replace your paving; because you’re not using the garden as much, the disruption is easier to manage.
When choosing paving, think about the effect you’d like to achieve; do you want a sleek, contemporary feel or a more rustic finish, for example? Easypave have some nice ideas and a wide range of styles, including the compact circular pattern above which would be great for a small garden or sunny corner.
Save seeds
As your garden’s plants finish flowering, it’s the perfect time to harvest seeds and make yourself lots of new plants for free. Keep an eye on the plants you’re going to harvest seeds from, and move in when it looks like the seeds are starting to scatter; any earlier and they won’t be ripe, any later and they’ll be gone!
Collect seeds when the weather is dry, snipping off the seedheads and popping them into paper bags (not plastic – you need to keep them dry), before storing them somewhere dry and cool until you’re ready to plant them.
Plant spring bulbs
Spring flowering bulbs are fantastic for giving your garden a lift before the other plants get going, and autumn is the time to plant them. Daffodils, crocus, hyacinths and tulips are all popular options; plant them throughout your borders for a natural effect, or go for it and plant en masse to create real impact. It’s also worth potting up a bulb lasagne, which is a container layered with bulbs that flower at different times; this is a brilliant way to get a long display of flowers for minimal effort.
Take stock of your garden
In autumn lots of plants slow down their growth and begin moving into a dormant phase, when they stop growing until the weather warms up again. Before this process is complete, you’ve got a great opportunity to take a step back and look at your garden as a whole. Make a note of any gaps in borders that you’d like to fill next year, areas that need a complete overhaul, and maintenance jobs required on things like sheds, fences and walls. You can then spend the winter months finding inspiration, choosing new plants, and ticking those maintenance jobs off the list, which means you’ll be ready to enjoy your garden when spring arrives.
I hope you’re feeling inspired to get outdoors and enjoy some autumn garden projects – let me know what you’re up to in the comments.
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Some fab tips x
Thanks Rachel, hope you manage some garden time 🙂
Saving seeds is a great idea and something I’m sure the kids would enjoy getting involved with. I love Autumn for all the wonderful rich colours it brings.
Yes, it really appeals to my kids’ magpie instinct! Totally agree with you about autumn, it’s such a tactile time of year 🙂
See, you always make gardening sound so simple and logical to a non-greenfingered person like me! Great tips.
I think a lot of gardening is logical, but then the plants sometimes go and do their own thing without any warning! It’s one of those hobbies where you’re always learning and I love that.
Love these tips, I always lose heart at this time of year, as all the colour begins to fade. Definitely need to follow you lawn tips!
I know what you mean, at this time of year it’s sometimes so tempting to stay indoors!
Wonderful advice thankyou
Glad you found it helpful 🙂
Fabulous tips thanks
Have been trying to pot the runners on my strawberries first time I’ve tried this
Last year my plants died -hopefully I’ll have more success
What do you suggest to keep them for over winter
They are still growing and I’m still getting strawberries of them x
They will stop growing and cropping when the weather gets colder, so enjoy them for now! When it gets colder it’s a good idea to cover them with something like straw or garden fleece to protect them, freezing temperatures can kill the plants. Don’t do this until it’s really cold and the ground is hard though, if you do it too soon the plants could rot. Hope that helps!
It does Thankyou x
Thanks for the article, really useful for newbies like myself 🙂
Lovely to hear you found it useful 🙂
Thanks Catherine for your interesting post. Keep up with your good work.
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Great advice.Very informative article for me, Thanks for sharing