Late summer brings a unique atmosphere to the garden: warm days alternate with crisp mornings and the first autumn colours appear. This is the perfect time to take a moment to reflect on your garden: enjoy what is still blooming, but also look ahead. With these five gardening tips, you can give your garden a boost for now and later.
Stay in the summer mood with varieties that are still in full bloom in September. Think of the Buddleja Miss series with its butterfly-attracting plumes or Caryopteris “Beyond Midnight®” with deep blue flowers. Spiraea Double Play® Doozie also surprises with its long-lasting bloom.
Remove dead flowers and give your lawn a final mow. Work compost into the borders and cover the soil with a layer of mulch, such as wood chips or autumn leaves. This will keep the soil moist for longer and provide plants with good nutrients for the coming months.
September is an excellent time to start thinking about spring. Plant shrubs from the Chaenomeles Storm series or choose Deutzia Yuki varieties; they can develop well now and, because they flower early, you will soon be able to enjoy beautiful spring flowers in your garden.
Create a quiet corner in your garden with leaves or branches where hedgehogs, insects and birds can find shelter. Leave dead stems in place: they provide shelter for insects such as ladybirds and food for birds. This will turn your garden into a lively refuge.
Shrubs such as Callicarpa PearlGlam® with its striking purple berries or Viburnum Oh Canada® with its leaves changing colour from intense red to yellow now provide colour and attract birds. Give them a prominent place in your garden for an atmospheric autumn.
With these tips, your late summer garden will remain a pleasant place to enjoy and you will immediately lay a strong foundation for a colourful spring.
