The Best Autumn Garden Tips from Houzz Experts
Think there’s nothing to do in the garden in September? Think again. Here are some of the key jobs worth tackling
Check out this season-appropriate advice from pros on Houzz to help you perfect your patch, protect wildlife during the cooler months and get your space primed to bloom next spring – as well as helping it to be beautiful and useable all year round.
Build an outdoor fireplace
“Fireplaces create a lovely feature in any garden and are perfect for those dry autumnal evenings, meaning you’ll be able to spend much more time outdoors,” says architect Denise O’Connor of Optimise Home
From wood-burning fires in various styles to firepits and tables with built-in gas- or bioethanol-fuelled flames, there are numerous options. Find a reputable supplier and investigate what could work in your space.
Read more of Denise’s tips on turning your outside space into another room of your home.
“Fireplaces create a lovely feature in any garden and are perfect for those dry autumnal evenings, meaning you’ll be able to spend much more time outdoors,” says architect Denise O’Connor of Optimise Home
From wood-burning fires in various styles to firepits and tables with built-in gas- or bioethanol-fuelled flames, there are numerous options. Find a reputable supplier and investigate what could work in your space.
Read more of Denise’s tips on turning your outside space into another room of your home.
Plant autumn flowers to attract bees
“This is a great time for planting new wildlife-friendly perennials for next year, and to sow wildflower seeds, too,” says Darryl Cox, senior science and policy officer at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. “Annuals sown in the autumn tend to flower earlier the following year.”
Garden designer Claudia de Yong of Claudia De Yong Garden Design suggests Helenium ‘Mardi Gras’ (pictured), just one flowering plant that will keep your garden blooming late into the year. It’s a favourite with bees, butterflies and moths, with its mass of yellow flowers splashed with orange-red and deep brown around mounded central cones. Another good one Claudia recommends is Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’.
Darryl recommends using the Trust’s Bee Kind online tool to find more bee-friendly planting recommendations.
Read Claudia’s full guide to autumn pollinators.
“This is a great time for planting new wildlife-friendly perennials for next year, and to sow wildflower seeds, too,” says Darryl Cox, senior science and policy officer at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. “Annuals sown in the autumn tend to flower earlier the following year.”
Garden designer Claudia de Yong of Claudia De Yong Garden Design suggests Helenium ‘Mardi Gras’ (pictured), just one flowering plant that will keep your garden blooming late into the year. It’s a favourite with bees, butterflies and moths, with its mass of yellow flowers splashed with orange-red and deep brown around mounded central cones. Another good one Claudia recommends is Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’.
Darryl recommends using the Trust’s Bee Kind online tool to find more bee-friendly planting recommendations.
Read Claudia’s full guide to autumn pollinators.
Bin broken pots
As part of a general end-of-season garden tidy, take stock of your pot collection. “Broken pots and general patio clutter can build up unnoticed over the summer and both provide great places for slugs to lurk,” says professional organiser Hannah Young of Revive Your Space.
“If you have too many plastic plant pots,” she adds, “you can recycle these by giving them away to other gardeners – they’re quite in demand. Offer them for free on sites such as Freecycle or drop them into your local garden centre, providing it offers this service.”
Check out the Houzz Professionals Directory to find landscape architects and garden designers in your area.
As part of a general end-of-season garden tidy, take stock of your pot collection. “Broken pots and general patio clutter can build up unnoticed over the summer and both provide great places for slugs to lurk,” says professional organiser Hannah Young of Revive Your Space.
“If you have too many plastic plant pots,” she adds, “you can recycle these by giving them away to other gardeners – they’re quite in demand. Offer them for free on sites such as Freecycle or drop them into your local garden centre, providing it offers this service.”
Check out the Houzz Professionals Directory to find landscape architects and garden designers in your area.
Air your lawn
To keep a lawn looking lovely, seasonal care is advised. Towards the end of the month, remove any dead grass, moss and weeds that have built up over the summer, as leaving it could restrict air movement and cause drainage issues.
Claudia de Yong advises you use a spring rake to drag it off or a powered lawn scarifier (which removes lawn cuttings and moss, and cuts through turf) for bigger areas. The lawn will look a mess for a while, but will soon recover.
After this you can aerate the lawn by pushing in a fork about 15cm at 15 to 24cm intervals. Follow this with a top dressing – a mixture of sieved garden soil, sharp sand and sieved garden compost. Add grass seed if the lawn is a bit worn.
Discover more jobs to do in the garden in September.
To keep a lawn looking lovely, seasonal care is advised. Towards the end of the month, remove any dead grass, moss and weeds that have built up over the summer, as leaving it could restrict air movement and cause drainage issues.
Claudia de Yong advises you use a spring rake to drag it off or a powered lawn scarifier (which removes lawn cuttings and moss, and cuts through turf) for bigger areas. The lawn will look a mess for a while, but will soon recover.
After this you can aerate the lawn by pushing in a fork about 15cm at 15 to 24cm intervals. Follow this with a top dressing – a mixture of sieved garden soil, sharp sand and sieved garden compost. Add grass seed if the lawn is a bit worn.
Discover more jobs to do in the garden in September.
Be bonfire safe
Autumn is bonfire season, which is fun for humans, but potentially disastrous for small, hibernating animals.
“Take care when you’re making bonfires, as hedgehogs and other small animals may have snuggled down inside the piles of leaves and sticks you want to burn,” says Jamie Wyver, spokesperson for the RSPB. “The best way to keep them safe is to construct your fire just before you light it.”
Autumn is bonfire season, which is fun for humans, but potentially disastrous for small, hibernating animals.
“Take care when you’re making bonfires, as hedgehogs and other small animals may have snuggled down inside the piles of leaves and sticks you want to burn,” says Jamie Wyver, spokesperson for the RSPB. “The best way to keep them safe is to construct your fire just before you light it.”
Bury some bulbs
It’s the perfect time for planting spring bulbs, and they’re good news if you want to liven up some shady spots in your outdoor patch – under a tree, perhaps…” says Patricia Tyrrell of Patricia Tyrrell Living Landscapes.
“Bulbs flower in sequence, starting with snowdrops and crocuses, and finishing with tulips and alliums,” she says, “so it’s important to pay attention to flowering times to get a long season of interest.”
Discover more bulbs to plant in September and October.
It’s the perfect time for planting spring bulbs, and they’re good news if you want to liven up some shady spots in your outdoor patch – under a tree, perhaps…” says Patricia Tyrrell of Patricia Tyrrell Living Landscapes.
“Bulbs flower in sequence, starting with snowdrops and crocuses, and finishing with tulips and alliums,” she says, “so it’s important to pay attention to flowering times to get a long season of interest.”
Discover more bulbs to plant in September and October.
Take cuttings to grow more plants
“September is the perfect time of year to take cuttings from tender shrubs and half-hardy perennials,” Claudia de Yong says. “Why? They’ll form a good root system more quickly before the cooler weather sets in. It will also give you the chance to increase your stock of those plants that may not make it through the winter months.”
Get tips on how to take and nurture the perfect cuttings.
“September is the perfect time of year to take cuttings from tender shrubs and half-hardy perennials,” Claudia de Yong says. “Why? They’ll form a good root system more quickly before the cooler weather sets in. It will also give you the chance to increase your stock of those plants that may not make it through the winter months.”
Get tips on how to take and nurture the perfect cuttings.
Feed the birds
Providing food for birds year-round is a wonderful way to encourage them into your garden and to provide them with a secure source of food, especially over the winter months.
Hannah Young points out that dirty birdfeeders that have been hanging around all summer can become a problem. “Over the summer, birds will feed less from feeders and food can start to go off in the heat,” she says, “so now’s the time to throw away old food and give your feeders a thorough clean. Once they’ve been disinfected, leave them to dry and put them back out with some fresh food inside.”
Get more garden decluttering inspiration.
Tell us…
What jobs do you have planned for your garden this autumn? Let us know in the Comments.
Providing food for birds year-round is a wonderful way to encourage them into your garden and to provide them with a secure source of food, especially over the winter months.
Hannah Young points out that dirty birdfeeders that have been hanging around all summer can become a problem. “Over the summer, birds will feed less from feeders and food can start to go off in the heat,” she says, “so now’s the time to throw away old food and give your feeders a thorough clean. Once they’ve been disinfected, leave them to dry and put them back out with some fresh food inside.”
Get more garden decluttering inspiration.
Tell us…
What jobs do you have planned for your garden this autumn? Let us know in the Comments.
“Don’t be in a rush to clear away dead stems and seedheads in the autumn,” says Paul Cook, curator of RHS garden Harlow Carr. “They shelter insects and the seeds provide food for birds to stock up on before the winter hits.”
Many seedheads are beautifully decorative, too, and will add structure and interest to your garden when summer foliage has faded away, so leave them in place and enjoy their aesthetic value as much as their wildlife credentials.
Learn more about creating a wildlife-friendly garden in autumn.