Spring might still feel a long way off, but autumn is the perfect time to give your garden a head start. While the garden is preparing for winter, the soil is still relatively warm. With a little planning and judicious planting, you can create a garden that bursts into life when spring arrives.
From filling gaps in your borders to choosing the right tree, here are our suggestions for to help ensure your garden looks its best right through to spring planting season.
Fill gaps with shrubs
If your borders are looking a little sparse, autumn is a great time to introduce some compact shrubs. With plenty of time to establish their roots before the growing season gets underway, they can make a real difference to the shape and structure of your garden for the longer term.
Look beyond flowers and consider plants with interesting forms, foliage or stems that will provide something to look at throughout the year. Compact shrubs are particularly useful in smaller gardens or at the front of borders, where they can add structure without taking over.
Think about the eventual size of the plant and how it will fit with what you already have. A little space between plants now can quickly disappear as they mature.
Some of our personal garden favourites include Ceanothus, Hebe, Skimmia and Euonymus.
Bring some early colour
Hellebores are a wonderful addition to the winter and early spring garden, flowering when there is still relatively little colour around. Their nodding blooms and attractive foliage make them useful for brightening shady areas and they can continue to provide interest well beyond their flowering period.
There are plenty of other early-flowering perennials to consider too, including Pulmonaria and Bergenia – and of course, the ever-popular primroses which always give masses of colour as the early spring sun coaxes them awake.
Select a mixture of plants with different flowering times and you can easily create a succession of colour from late winter into spring
Choose a tree with a purpose
If you have room for a tree, autumn is an excellent time for planting.
Before choosing the first tree that catches your eye, think about what you want it to bring to your garden.
Perhaps you would like spring blossom, in which case an ornamental cherry could be ideal. Magnolias are another beautiful choice, with their large, dramatic flowers bringing a welcome splash of colour early in the year. Fruit trees can combine blossom with a useful crop later in the season, while compact varieties can provide the character and benefits of a tree without requiring a huge garden.
The key is to choose the right tree for the space. Consider its eventual height and spread, the aspect and soil conditions, and how close it will be to buildings, paths or neighbouring properties. A tree that looks perfectly manageable when you buy it can become considerably less so a few years down the line.
Plant your bulbs now
If you want a colourful spring display, now is the time to get your bulbs in the ground. Tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths and alliums can be planted during autumn, giving them time to establish before putting on a show next spring.
Bulbs are incredibly versatile and can be planted in borders, containers, pots and even lawns. For a more natural look, try planting bulbs in informal groups rather than regimented rows.
Check the planting instructions for each variety, as planting depths can vary, and choose bulbs that are firm and healthy. Once planted, there is very little to do except wait for spring.
Tool up for the season ahead
Finally, autumn is a good time to look at your gardening tools. If your secateurs are struggling, your spade has seen better days or your wheelbarrow is no longer quite as reliable as it once was, now is the time to replace them rather than waiting until you are in the middle of your spring gardening jobs.
Good-quality tools can make gardening easier and more enjoyable, so think about what you use most and invest in those first. Give existing tools a clean and sharpen before storing them, too. A few minutes of maintenance now can save plenty of frustration later.
With a little planning and planting this autumn, you can set the stage for a garden that comes back stronger and more colourful when spring arrives. And when those first flowers appear, you will be glad you got ahead of the game.
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