Autumn is slowly creeping round the corner, and with it there’ll be shorter days, falling leaves, and the first bite of frost. And of course, rain, lots and lots of rain. So read our Autumn Gardening Hints and Tips for your garden to make the oncoming dreary weather seem a bit more light-hearted? Luckily there are some advantages to autumn settling in. Now is the time to harvest any apples, pears, grapes and nuts you have growing, as well as separating herbaceous perennials and rhubarb crowns. Those with a sweet tooth, now is the time to enjoy those delicious autumn raspberries.

Autumn is also the time for planning ahead. This is the last time that those of you living in mild areas can mow your lawns and trimming hedges. If you’re considering renovating lawns, now is the time to do it! Whether it’s laying turf or giving existing grass some TLC, through scarifying or feeding, the time is now.

When it comes to flowers and bulbs, now is the time to act. You should start ordering any seeds you plan to plant next year. For bulbs, spring flowers such as daffodils, crocus and hyacinths need to be planted by the end of September. Summer-hardy flowers like lilies, alliums and crocosmia can be planted in October, and Tulips can wait as late as November.

Planting bulbs is surprisingly easy, and a great way for a beginner to get into gardening. Most bulbs are happy to be grown in a container, especially ‘showy’ flowers like tulips, lilies and alliums. Depending on how long you plan on keeping the bulbs in a container, use a mix of grit and compost. For bulbs that will only be spending a season in their container, use a mix of 3 parts multi-purpose compost with 1 part grit. If you’re planning on keeping the flowers in their container for longer, it’s best to use 3 parts John Innes no. 2 compost with 1 part grit. The bulbs should be planted at 3 times their depth and 1 bulb width apart. With regards to watering, water regularly when in active. But, you should reduce watering once the leaves start to die down. Don’t let the bulbs dry out though!
So you see, spring isn’t the time for new life and new beginnings, it’s autumn!