Autumn is on its way
Autumn seems to be arriving quickly this year, and the garden is already beginning to change. Shrubs and trees are taking on their autumn colours, berries are appearing, and spring-flowering favourites such as magnolias, rhododendrons and azaleas are already forming buds ready for next year. 🌿
Now is the perfect time to refresh summer pots, containers and hanging baskets with autumn and winter colour. We have a lovely selection of pansies, violas, cyclamen, grasses, evergreen shrubs, ivy and wallflowers, along with spring-flowering bulbs including daffodils, tulips, iris, crocus, hyacinths and alliums. 🌷
Autumn is also one of the best times of year for planting shrubs and perennials. The soil is still warm and, following the recent rain, newly planted shrubs and perennials can establish their roots before winter arrives. We have a large selection of evergreen shrubs and trees available. 🌳
Hedging season begins in October, when bare-root native hedging whips become available. This is an economical way to establish a traditional English hedgerow and provides excellent habitat and nesting opportunities for birds in the spring. 🐦
Evergreen hedging, including Common Laurel, Portuguese Laurel, Photinia, Elaeagnus, Leylandii and Thuja, can also be planted at this time of year.
Our autumn and winter hanging baskets are now being planted, helping you keep plenty of colour around the garden throughout the colder months. 🌼
As we move towards the end of September, remember to protect non-hardy plants from the risk of an early frost. Pots can also be raised onto pot feet to improve drainage and prevent water freezing around the base, which can cause pots to crack during colder weather. ❄️
After such a hot, dry summer, many of us are also thinking about plants that cope well with warmer and drier conditions. Good choices include Brachyglottis, Cistus, Caryopteris, Convolvulus, Euonymus, Genista, lavender and roses.
Ornamental grasses have performed particularly well through the heat and drought, and autumn is when many of them are at their very best. We have a large selection available. 🌾
