Welcome
It’s surprising how many gardeners love autumn. Perhaps it’s the rich mix of atmospheric weather – the rain, the hazy sun, the long shadows, the mist, the frost? There’s never a dull moment. Fruit and seedheads emerge and, in response to shorter days and cooler temperatures, foliage blushes red, gold, orange and purple.
In our feature on page 16 we highlight some of the exciting ways you can fire up your own garden with some autumn drama, using bold October flowers, foliage contrasts and architectural seedheads for theatrical effects. There are also planting suggestions for versatile Verbena bonariensis (p24) and a feature on how to curb ambitious self-sowers and rampant roamers (p26).
In my own garden I’m keenly watching the progress of some semi-ripe cuttings taken back in August. They’ve rooted! Little hydrangea babies. Very hard not to name them and put them down for good schools. Autumn is the ideal time for planting them out, for dividing perennials, sowing hardy annuals and of course planting bulbs – see our offer on p98. I’ll also be moving plants about (again!) and rationalising the borders in my white garden.
There are far too many plants in there. Did I really need to sow more white cosmos last spring?
But whatever the state of play in your garden (are they ever really ‘finished’?) I’m sure you’ll love the many seasonal planting ideas in this month’s issue. Our reader gardens are particularly colourful and packed with inspiration – not least providing ideas about how to hide your hot tub... Happy gardening!