Get to the root of flower power
As summer winds down the real gardening year is about to begin, says LOUISE MIDGLEY
GREAT gardens are created by gardeners who continually plan for the future to ensure there are beautiful highlights at any given time. But it’s still important to live in the present and appreciate your garden’s little triumphs each and every day.
The best period of the year to make improvements and get plants established in the ground is just about to begin.
A combination of warm soil and an almost guaranteed supply of rain during the autumnal months aids strong root growth on plants, which in turn will support healthy top growth next spring
The window for planting perennials, trees, fruit bushes, shrubs, hardy annuals and spring flowering bulbs is well and truly wide open over the next few weeks.
This year has been a year of extremes in weather in most parts of the UK, so take a good, hard look at what performed well in your garden and in future don’t bother with any plants that didn’t cope.
With that in mind, lift and divide any mature clumps of perennials that have been successful and transplant the smaller sections around the garden.
Invest in a range of spring bulbs that will flower from late winter until late spring. If space is tight in the borders or you only have a small garden then grow spring bulbs in pots. And don’t forget that many bulbs including crocus and daffs are happy to establish in lawns as long as you remember not to mow when they pop their heads above ground level.
Aim to get most spring bulbs planted before the end of September as they require a long season of growth.
Tulips are the exception and are best left until November when the soil temperature has dropped. This helps avoid tulip fire blight.
Sow seeds of hardy annuals during September. California poppies, Cerinthe, Nigella and pot marigolds will all flower earlier than any that are sown in spring.