by Terriesa Torode

As the summer fades gently away, we see the last of the perennial flowers putting on a brilliant show of colour. Right up until the first frosts, plants like Rudbeckia, Solidago and Kniphofia will add warmth, a richness to the borders. Asters, Sedums and some Dahlias add purples, bright pinks, scarlets and burnt oranges. Add these against a backdrop of shrubs and you will have created a show for September and even October. These perennials will give a border an extended show. With a careful selection of trees and shrubs you can bring the garden seamlessly into autumn. Use trees that have berries and fruit now to bring the warmth of autumn to your flower border. Add some golden grasses to bring some texture and magic to the border.

These types of flowering borders can be left to overwinter. They provide seeds for visiting finches and they look good all frosted up. You can cut the border back in October, but the whole border ideally will then need to be mulched heavily. Order well-rotted manure or miscanthus straw from a stable and wheelbarrow to the border. Spread the manure over the entire border, laying it thickly on half-hardy perennials. This is an excellent time to empty your compost bins too. Try to grab the well-rotted parts of the compost heap. Look for dark, friable compost not sticky or wet. The parts of the compost that have not decomposed down should be placed back into the compost heap.

• Roses
  Prune all rambling roses now. This is best done in August, but September will do. Cut away all flowered stems to a decent bud below. This will encourage fresh growth that will flower next year. For climbing roses, prune all side shoots to two or three buds. Tie in new growth from the base into existing framework. Remove any dead or diseased parts of the rose when working. Weed at the base, sprinkle some slow-release fertiliser and mulch with compost.
• Cuttings
  Take hardwood cuttings from your favourite plants, including roses. Take hardwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs. Remember you are growing plants for free. So do have a go, folks. You’ll enjoy the experience and have the satisfaction of growing them yourself!
• Herbs
  Lift parsley and mint for winter use. Pot up into clean pots and place them in a cool spot. A windowsill would be ideal.
• Container-grown trees and shrubs
  The soil is warm, which means any plant that is in the soil will rapidly grow new roots. Always dig a decent-sized hole when planting. Add fertiliser to the hole and use a stake to support the tree. Planting now gives your plants the best start possible.
• Bulbs
  Available now in shops are spring bulbs. These are such great value for their money. Why not try something different next year. Colour code your bulbs by planting in pots. Use your best pots and half-fill them with compost. Place the largest bulbs in a single layer. Add more compost over the layer. Place another layer of bulbs. You can have four layers and finish off with the smallest bulbs like Crocuses. Use daffodil bulbs in the lowest layer and tulips in the layer above. Add Narcissus next, then finish with the Crocuses. This will give you many months of flowering. This is effective for a good show of flowers in spring.
• Glasshouses and tunnels
  Give these a thorough cleaning and clearing. Remove all old leaves, pots, canes and rubbish. Clean the glass if whitewashed. Add lots of organic matter to the ground. Remove yellowing leaves if you are growing any brassicas inside. Bring in half-hardy plants like fuchsias, pelargoniums and salvias. Start your winter-flowering bulbs indoors. Once they start to grow, keep them in a dark, cool position until the shoots are two inches high. Bring them indoors and keep them cool. Only when they are going to flower should you bring them into the warmth.
• Bulbs naturalising
  I have included this new section because many people are looking at natural planting styles for their gardens. On large lawns, bulbs can be naturalised at little cost. If you have trees in the lawn, planting beneath them is perfect. When planting, do not place bulbs directly onto the surface, but scatter them upon the floor. Dig small holes. Sprinkle a little slow-release fertiliser into each hole. Place the bulbs inside and cover them with soil. Remember to plant at a depth of three times their height. So, Narcissus and Tulips are planted quite deeply.
• Evergreen shrubs
  This is a good time to dig up any evergreen shrubs that have become too large for the border or bed they are in. Always incorporate humus-rich material like well-rotted manure or compost into the planting hole. Dig deeper than the roots extend. Once you have dug around the shrub, lift it onto hessian or a sheet of plastic. Dig a hole large enough to hold the plant in. Make sure the shrub is at the correct depth. If you are moving the evergreen into an exposed position, then erect a windbreak. This will reduce evaporation from the leaves.
• Hardy Annuals
  Some annuals can be started in the autumn for earlier flowering next year. Annuals such as Calendula officinalis, Centaurea cyanus, Limnanthes douglasii and Eschscholzia. Weed a small area well. Gently fork the area over and rake afterwards. Try to create a fine tilth. Sow the seeds directly, rake them in, and water them. You may have to put down slug pellets once seedlings grow. Keep an eye on them over winter. Remove any fallen growth from the young seedlings. Enjoy them next year as they flower in early summer.
• Perennials
  Quite often at this time of year, garden centres are holding sales on perennials. These will often no longer look their best. That is no problem for us as we know they are still living; they have just died back because of the season. Always look for strong roots showing at the base of a pot. Before you buy, think about where you want to plant the perennial. Most perennials have certain positions where they will thrive. For example, if you bought a dry, sun-loving perennial and placed it in a wet, shady spot. It will struggle and die by the end of winter. It is cheaper and better for the plant to place it in a location where it will thrive. Always add slow-release fertiliser to help it establish itself. This will promote root growth, and because the soil is still warm, the perennial will soon settle in. The perennials that are unable to survive winter will need to be lifted and potted up. Place these in a frost-free position like a glasshouse or tunnel. Also, you can lift any perennial and divide it into smaller sections of the plant. This is useful for expanding your perennials. Once a plant is lifted out of the ground, place two forks back-to-back. Gently tease the root ball apart. You will then have several sections of the perennial. Dig small holes, add a little compost and fertiliser. Then replant near the mother plant.Collect seeds from perennials. Geraniums produce many seeds and are also easy to grow. Collect and dry the seeds and always label them. Geraniums are useful because they have a long flowering period. These plants mingle with others and give the border a natural feel. There are many seeds available from perennials. So have a go folks!Support tall varieties of Asters that flower in autumn. Clear the whole bed and get ready for winter. Sprinkle fertiliser over the entire bed. Mulch over the entire bed afterwards. You can leave perennials with tall stems bearing seeds for the birds. Finches particularly enjoy these seeds.
• Vegetables
  Make a clamp for your maincrop root vegetables. This is a structure that has four sides with one side open for easy access. You can use either sand or straw for the layers. After lifting all root vegetables for storage, lay them in the clamp and cover them with straw or sand. As you need them uncover and enjoy all winter long.Earth up celery until they need lifting. Plant out onion sets in rows after adding lots of well-rotted manure. Plant out any spring cabbages you have been growing. Plant out garlic in rows. Sow a variety of winter lettuce and place them under a mini tunnel. In October cut down the tops of Jerusalem artichokes. Cut down asparagus fern fronds too. Sow a green manure crop to improve your soil. This is excellent for the soil. It improves the soil structure and incorporates organic matter. Thus, improving the humus richness of the soil. It makes it perfect for roots to grow strong, and plants grow to be healthy.
• Berries
  Collect any of the trees that you wish to grow on your own. These include Rowan, pink Hawthorn and many others.
• Dahlias
  Lift these now frosts could happen. Dry them off, and once dry, store in a box filled with compost. Make sure the tops of the dahlias are showing above the compost. Cover the rest with compost and remember to label each colour and variety.Try to get all beds cleared before late October. Order well-rotted manure or miscanthus for mulching over borders. Mulch around trees and shrubs too. Get all supports removed. Repair damage to or stains on furniture before putting away for winter. Clean paths and clear gutters. Empty and clean water butts. Get sheds and garages ready for the vegetable and fruit harvest. In late October, order new seed catalogues. Organise a plan for growing vegetables in rotation. Prepare a couple of pots with bedding plants to lead up to Christmas. By adding bulbs, you will extend the flowering potential of the pots.
• Do a few jobs in the week and all will be achieved and the garden can go to rest whilst you plan next year. Enjoy folks!