Wildlife In Autumn
Tidying up for the winter may be a priority in autumn but clearing summer bedding and shrubs can create disturbance for wildlife at a time when they are searching for a safe place to over-winter
In the garden try and resist the urge to clear up too much and maybe look at creating a wild corner here and there that can provide crucial refuge for wildlife as the temperature begins to fall.
Tops tips for creating a wild corner include:
• Choose an area in the garden that is not near a pathway, a shaded corner or secluded space
• Plant a native shrub at the back of the area such as a hawthorn or dogwood
• Pile rotting logs or branches at the base of the shrub, making sure you give enough space from the base if newly planted
• Include a small rock pile
• Allow grass and weed seedlings to germinate and at a later date add a few hardy, wildlife attracting plants
In addition to wild corners, many gardeners extend their season of colour by growing late-flowering perennial plants such as rudbeckias, sedums and asters that continue to attract pollinators and help gardens shift smoothly from summer to autumn. Asters are easy to grow and come in shades of blue, purple, red, pink and white. Bees and butterflies love them as a late-season source of nectar. They’ve also had a name change and are now known as symphyotrichum. Symphyotrichum x frikartii ‘Monch’ is one of the first to start the season early in late July with flowers that are large and widely spaced with bright purple petals surrounding a yellow button.
October, rather than spring, is the best time of year to plant new perennials in the garden and adding a compost mulch now will save on watering new plants next spring.
Other top jobs for gardeners this month include:
• Cutting back perennials that have died down. 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.
• Moving tender plants, including aquatic ones, into a greenhouse or conservatory. In frost-prone areas a conservatory is the ideal place for overwintering tender perennials and marginally hardy plants from the garden. Cold-sensitive plants in need of good light levels and dry, frost-free conditions will also benefit.
• Dividing herbaceous perennials. If done regularly this will ensure healthy, vigorous plants that will continue to perform year after year. It also offers the opportunity to multiply your plants.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY:
It is a great time to plant or move deciduous trees, shrubs and hedges as the soil is still warm so the roots will begin to grow immediately. It is essential to give them a really good soak when you do so and to repeat this weekly until the ground is really wet or the leaves have fallen. Deciduous plants on the other hand can be moved or planted any time between October and the middle of March.
Monty Don
Autumn is now definitely here for real, and it feels colder. It’s a beautiful time of year, with the trees changing colour. Sometimes it may seem pointless raking, when the wind blows even more leaves onto the lawn, but just think of all the lovely leaf mould you can make!
RHS
