Autumn Gardening Tips – What to plant in your garden during the autumn months.

Autumn gardening is a fantastic way to extend your gardening season and prepare for a bountiful spring. The cooler temperatures and increased rainfall during the autumn months create ideal conditions for certain types of plants. Here are some autumn gardening suggestions to help you make the most of the season:

1. Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs: Autumn is the perfect time to plant spring-blooming bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths. These bulbs need a period of cold dormancy to produce vibrant blooms in the spring. 
   
2. Establish Perennials: Take advantage of the cooler weather to establish perennial plants. Cooler temperatures allow them to develop their root systems without the stress of hot weather. Consider planting perennials like hostas, peonies, ornamental grasses, asters, sedums, hellebores, and rudbeckias.
   
3. Plant Shrubs and Trees: Autumn’s colder months provide an excellent opportunity to plant shrubs and trees. This allows them to establish robust root systems before winter sets in. Opt for native varieties like rowan, hawthorn, and silver birch, that are well-suited to the UK climate. Don’t forget to consider early autumn for planting fruit trees like apple, pear, and plum trees. For more information visit Tree & Hedge.
   
4. Add Colour with Pansies and Violas: These hardy annuals can add a burst of colour to your garden during the cooler months. They can survive light frosts and often continue blooming until the first hard freeze.
   
5. Grow Winter Vegetables: If you have a vegetable patch or allotment, autumn is the ideal time for vegetables that can withstand colder temperatures. Consider planting Brussels sprouts, kale, winter lettuce varieties, leeks, winter cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, and parsnips. These crops thrive in the UK’s milder winter climate, so why not give them a go? 
   
6. Plant Garlic and Onions: For a summer harvest, plant garlic and onion sets in the autumn. Space individual cloves of garlic about 6-8 inches apart in well-draining soil, and you’ll be rewarded with garlic bulbs the following summer

When planning your autumn garden, take into account the specific planting times for your region and the average first frost date as this will vary across the country. Remember that proper soil preparation, mulching, and protection from wind and heavy rain contribute to successful autumn planting.

With these autumn gardening tips, you’ll be well on your way to a vibrant and thriving garden come spring. Happy gardening!