Last hurrah
By making a few simple tweaks before autumn sets in, your beds and borders can enjoy a stunning…
THE start of September marks the beginning of autumn, according to meteorologists and TV weather forecasters, but that doesn’t mean we have to accept summer is finally over. A few simple tweaks to beds and borders, containers and other parts of the garden will keep that summer feeling alive for many weeks to come.
All most gardens need at this time of year is a little tidy-up to restore some order after high summer. Weeding, pruning and removing spent seasonal plants will soon have beds and borders back on song, while clipping hedges and giving lawns some attention will help to set the space off to perfection.
Once all of the groundwork is out of the way, it’s much easier to perk up tired displays with fresh stock. Plug gaps in schemes with some late-flowering perennials, grasses or shrubs, and they’ll add a much needed splash of colour, often providing interest into late autumn, sometimes even beyond.
After many weeks of solid sunshine, followed by rain, things are looking a bit congested in beds and borders. Some plants will have gone past their best or be on the verge of collapse. As a result, they are likely to be concealing those perennials that will continue to light up the garden as the days begin to shorten.
Allow these late-flowering plants to take on a staring role by chopping back worn-out clumps of lupins, lamprocapnos, lady’s mantle and other early bloomers. Don’t attempt to prune selectively. Simply cut back stems close to the ground and a flush of zingy green growth will soon appear.
Dahlias, achilleas, helianthus and other multi-stemmed, tall perennials are at risk from flopping unless you provided supports in spring. Keep them upright by staking individual stems with canes. If this is unfeasible, surround large clumps with canes, and then run twine around the outside to form a cage.
Once you’ve made some space, take the opportunity to evict weeds and edit self-seeded plants. Water
well and feed everything with a fertiliser that’s high in potash to encourage more flower buds to form. Cover the surface with composted bark or garden compost to give displays a fresh, clean look.
If you have empty spaces, introduce some late-flowering treasures. Pick good-sized specimens loaded with buds, and encourage them to produce new blooms by deadheading. Don’t touch spent flowers on sedums, echinaceas and grasses – the seed heads will deliver sculptural interest into winter.
Summer-flowering bedding plants will conk out the moment you look the other way, but have the potential to brighten up hanging baskets, planters and window boxes until the first frosts. Water plants regularly, feed weekly and deadhead to keep them going. Lightly trim trailers if they start to look a little straggly.
Fortunately, most lawns have started to recover after the early summer drought, yet some routine STILL GOING STRONG: An early autumn border bursting with blooms. Left: Kniphofia Nobilis and, inset far left, coreopsis Flying Saucers renovation will really bring them back to life. Start by repairing poorly drained, compacted areas caused by heavy foot traffic. Sink a garden fork into the lawn every 4in, and then work a sandy top dressing into the holes. Large bare patches in lawns are easily fixed by laying fresh pieces of turf – make small-scale repair with a so-called patch kit, a mixture of grass seed, topsoil and nutrients. Complete your grass overhaul by spreading autumn lawn feed, mowing and trimming edges to leave a neat finish. A few finishing touches will make a big difference to keeping the summer garden going. Scrub surfaces, rake gravel level and tie in stems of wayward climbers to supports. Hedges can be given their final trim of the year to keep them looking neat until spring.
BEDDING WILL DIE AS SOON AS YOU LOOK THE OTHER WAY