As the long summer evenings begin to fade and draw in to make way for autumn, gardening might be the last thing on your mind – especially if you’ve spent the past few months prepping, preening and planting to keep your outdoor space looking immaculate throughout.
But despite common misconceptions, autumn isn’t the time to put down your trowel and hang up your gardening gloves – at least, not just yet. In fact, it’s actually one of the best times to start preparing for the first blooms of next spring, landscaping your garden and completing those DIY projects that just didn’t make it to the top of your priority list during summer.
The off-season for home improvement projects presents the perfect opportunity to get ahead without spoiling the look and feel of your garden during the time of year you use it the most.
From planting autumn shrubs and flowers to prolong the aesthetic appeal of your space to installing new fencing and digging out beds, these are the key considerations for your garden and we head into autumn – and each is a project you’ll thank yourself for undertaking come the spring.
Install a new fence
If your fencing is looking a little tired or you’re worried it won’t withstand the typically windy winter weather, then autumn is the perfect time to have a new one installed. Cool and dry weather, with minimal rain and humidity, makes this the best time of year to undertake such a project before the ground begins to get frosty. The fence installation cost will be worth the peace of mind it gives you as the weather becomes more volatile later on.
With the majority of plants and shrubs lying dormant from autumn onwards, it’s also the ideal time to change up the layout of your garden without causing damage, so if you’re eager to extend your garden or change the shape of your beds then you can do this simultaneously with minimal worry.
Plant some autumn flowers
Flowers like violas and pansies are often associated with the springtime, but actually, they can fare just as well in the autumn – as long as weather is typically mild. Both are amongst some of the most frost-tolerant and colourful blooms and come in a wide array of striking colour combinations, making them the perfect choice to brighten up a bare and dull looking garden from September through until the beginning of November. Their cheerful faces are sure to bring a smile to yours as the last remnants of summer begin to fade, and will help you to maintain that immaculate outdoor aesthetic you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Protect their roots with a layer of mulch to boost their resilience, and you’ll get the best possible result.
Dig a vegetable garden
If you’re conscious of your carbon footprint and have always fancied being self-sufficient, then make use of the first weeks of autumn to dig a vegetable garden. One of the richest times of year for plants like asparagus, broad beans, garlic and onions to flourish, you’ll not only be boosting your garden, but your health will get an upgrade, too – with fresh produce available to you on your doorstep with which to cook up warming and hearty autumn and winter soups and stews for all the family.
Other vegetables that tend to fare well at this time of year in the UK climate are shallots, peas, spring onions and spinach – but all are not created equal. Be sure to take the time to research the required conditions for each type of crop and plant accordingly. Some, like broad beans and peas, may not produce a harvest until next year, but you’ll be giving yourself a head start nonetheless. Others, like spinach, will quickly offer a yield – plant yours now, and you’ll be able to enjoy eating its leaves up until early December. Similar can be said for potatoes, which if planted now, will be ready just in time to serve up alongside Christmas dinner.
