Rays your game
Make the most of a surprise burst of sunshine by getting outside to smarten things up, add colour and enjoy the fresh air with family
With autumn’s arrival, it’s natural for us to think the garden has served its purpose. We stop mowing our lawns and trimming our hedges and, as leaves start to fall, we begin to think winter is on its way.
But this is far from the reality, especially this year, thanks to welcome forecasts of an Indian summer.
Now is the ideal time to take a look at your garden and employ a few cheeky tricks to extend the season into winter.
This will help you squeeze every last drop of pleasure out of the autumn sunshine and take in the glory of the outdoors, rather than shutting nature out quite so soon.
First, get your lawn in order. A lot of people have stopped cutting lawns and, as leaves begin to collect, it gives off that autumnal feel.
But raking up the leaves and giving the lawn one final trim will make your garden look smart.
It’s also a good time to feed the lawn, especially after the dry summer we have had.
Putting in a good deal of autumn lawn food works well reinforcing and supporting the grass’s roots, which will get going again early next spring.
Also, if you keep down the weeds and trim the hedges, this will keep up appearances and benefit you later on in autumn.
Next, get some autumn bedding. Adding some late colour to borders and containers will give your garden a lift.
Most summer bedding plants are starting to finish flowering around now, so removing and replacing them with autumn and winter bedding works wonders.
Choose violas, pansies, polyanthus and cyclamen for a fantastic pop of colour over the coming months.
Varieties such as trailing ivy and Hebe elliptica also provide intriguing foliage throughout the colder months coming our way.
The big champions of the month, however, are chrysanthemums and winter-flowering heathers.
Chrysanthemums come in a variety of beautiful autumnal hues and will flower well into winter.
Similarly, heathers like Erica carnea, which are known for their amazing variety of pinks and whites,
will provide beautiful colour throughout autumn and winter.
Shrubs are also a smart idea for autumn colour.
Brilliant autumn-flowering shrubs include late-flowering hydrangeas and hebes.
There are lots of different colours and varieties to choose from and hebes are a great nectar source for bees and other pollinators too.
Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’ is
Big champions are chrysanthemums and winter heathers
another fantastic option. At first glance it appears to have clusters of small red flowers but these are actually buds that will open into delicate white flowers come spring.
So you can enjoy the changing colour from these delightful plants as the chill sets in.
And don’t forget, this is also the time for planting fruit trees and bushes, such as apple and pear, but also redcurrant, gooseberry, raspberry and blueberry bushes.
Plant them separately or mix them in borders among shrubs as they make nice ornamental plants as well as producing delicious fruit come summer. Our Indian summer means we are still due some really sunny days, but this doesn’t prevent the onset of cooler evenings.
But you can make evenings more comfortable with the magic of outdoor heating. Opt for an outdoor electric or gas heater to cosy up beside or burn natural fuels in on-trend fire pits.
Fire pits work particularly well with logs or barbecue briquettes and enable you not only to keep warm, but also to enjoy watching the mesmerising movement of the flames.
And there is nothing better than getting your friends over and chatting around a warm fire on a cool autumn night. Plus, if it comes with a cooking arm, you can rustle-up a couple of decent rib-eye steaks for them at the same time.
Talking of cooking in the garden, don’t resign your trusty barbecue to the shed just yet.
Get it sizzling for Halloween parties and firework night gatherings to create a great atmosphere on those cooler, darker evenings.
You might even think about investing in a garden hot tub.
There is nothing quite like climbing into a beautifully warm tub in your garden while breathing in the blissfully cool and refreshing night air. I like
open-air hot tubs that aren’t covered by gazebos or other shelters so I can gaze up at the stars on a clear, cool night. It is heaven.
And don’t keep the kids cooped up just because summer is over.
Get your kids exercising outdoors with garden games such as hide and seek, croquet, skittles, stuck in the mud and football. It’s cheaper, easier and much better for their health than bundling them off to the cinema.
Use these tips to make the most of the last rays of autumn sunshine and enjoy the many benefits of being in the great outdoors for just a little longer this year.