As Autumn rolls in, you need to plan ahead for the longer nights, colder weather and winter frosts. Here’s a few tips for getting your garden (or yarden!) ready for the changes in season.

1. Dig up those annual flowers –  They tend to struggle in the winter months and can be a real liability to maintain during Autumn. Uproot them and add to your compost pile or use them as mulch.
2. Add fertiliser to your lawn – National temperature and weather patterns apply, but as a rule wait until the rains start in late August or September, and then apply your lawn fertiliser. Dependent on where you live you’ll find some years this may mean early September and other years late October.
3. Cover your pond – In autumn, you can cover your pond with a net to prevent leaves from falling into the water and to protect fish from predators.
4. Cut your perennials – Perennials are not demanding plants, but trimming them after flowering finishes in autumn helps improve their appearance and flowering. However, you can leave some stems over winter to provide homes and food for wildlife, and then trim back in spring.
5. Cover your garden furniture – Most people cover their furniture at the end of autumn just before the temperature drops. But the decision is entirely up to you. The best advice we can give you is to cover your furniture when you no longer spend time outdoors.
6. Sow need seeds – Maranth, calendula, cerinthe, cornflowers, larkspur, nigella, poppies, scabious, and sweet peas are ideal hardy annuals to plant and flowers include calendula, larkspur, nigella, and poppy seeds. 
7. Protect young trees and plants – It’s a good idea to apply a 2–3 inch layer of mulch in late autumn or early winter to protect roots from frost and retain water. Wrap shrubs in loose material like burlap to protect them from wind and protect young trees from weeds, herbicides, and animals with tree guards made of polypropylene

We are looking foward to next Autumn and seeing what the gardens at Oak Meadows have developed in to and if you have any garden hints and tips, please get in touch with us at janes@carvergroup.co.uk

For more information about Oak Meadows, please visit our website.