Autumn - Appreciating and Enhancing this seasonal change in your garden

There is always something to do in your garden and for this month the following can be done:

• Plan your garden so that you have a lot of oranges, red and yellow plants. Use Crocosmias, Watsonias, Boston ivy, Acers (yellow and red), even Nandina domestica and don’t forget your ornamental grasses!
• You could also enhance your garden for example using an old ladder – painting it a bright colour and planting a lovely climber to grow up the ladder.

• Keep borders tidy and cut back or deadhead perennials, e.g. Penstemons and lilies, etc.
• Stake all your taller perennials to prevent them from falling over.
• Water your Rhododendrons and camellias well to ensure bud development for next year.
• Rambling roses and climbing roses can be pruned for next year except if they have repeat flowering on them.
• Herbs can be cut back one last time before winter.

• If you let your plants go to seed, don’t rush to prune them – they provide a wealth of food for birds that visit your garden.
• Trim your hedges before the onset of winter to keep them compact and bushy.
• Gather fallen leaves, grass clippings and shredded prunings and layer them on the compost heap.
• You can even have pots with chrysanthemums or any colourful plants on each side of your garden bench to brighten up a quiet corner in your garden.

Have lots of fun until next time!! Monica Schmidt, Horticulturalist at Powerscourt Garden Pavilion