Autumn Dilemma

The news has been awash with UK Environment Secretary Owen Paterson’s issues in relation to the badger cull. There has been fierce opposition to this issue. No one seems certain whether this strategy will help make a positive impact on the reduction of bovine tuberculosis in cattle. With fierce protests and ongoing issues yet to be resolved, it seems this is far from over.

Shortening days and falling temperatures in autumn mean its time to swing into action and get your garden into shape, before the winter sets in.

The colours of autumn are so evocative. Russet, ochre and translucent crimson can look magnificent against a clear blue sky – or more importantly they can light up a dull grey day, catching the eye and cheering the heart. It is fascinating to know a little about the science behind the colour change in the second half of the year, as explained by Chris Clennett at Kew: ‘Trees, like most plants, use chlorophyll to photosynthesise…In autumn, trees that lose their leaves for winter go through a process to shut down photosynthesis and reclaim as many valuable chemicals as possible. Chlorophyll is constantly breaking down and being replaced through the summer, but the process slows down in autumn. This reveals all those other chemicals that were hidden by the presence of the dominant green chlorophyll…yellow flavonols, orange carotenoids and red to purple anthocyanins.’

Most ornamental grasses will stay intact through the latter part of the year, providing useful colour and structure in the autumn, when herbaceous plants are dying back. Some are particularly vibrant, picking up on the colours of the trees to echo their shades of russet and yellow, but with lower, softer silhouettes and lots of movement. Using them is easy. Weave them into a herbaceous border, or create more impact in larger gardens by repeat planting, as Piet Oudolf did at Scampston Hall in North Yorkshire, with his sinuous banks of Molinia caerulea subsp. caerulea 'Poul Petersen'. Some grasses are deciduous while others are evergreen. It is the deciduous grasses that can dramatically change colour during the autumn.

Autumn crocuses (Colchicum spp.) look like spring crocuses but are actually members of the lily family. They most commonly bloom in autumn, with flowers ranging in colour from purple to the palest of pink and even pure white. They look good naturalised in grass, beneath trees, or at the front of borders. The flowers come up without any leaves which gives them their other common name of ‘naked ladies’.

As the seasons start to change, now is the perfect time to take a trip to your nearest garden. Enjoy a long walk and catch the very last of late summer, while watching leaves turn amber and gold. Make sure to use your 2-for-1 Gardens card on your visit to ensure you’re making savings on your day out.

The air in the garden in autumn hangs thick with melancholy and wistfulness as the year’s growing season enters its final phase. Including plants that release autumn fragrance adds an intriguing twist to the atmosphere, seasoning the garden with a sweetness that belies the lingering air of faded glory that pervades it. 

Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’

If you’ve been noticing masses of showy white flowers rambling over vegetation along the roadsides, it might be Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora). Also known as Sweet Autumn Virginsbower, this non-native invasive species was originally introduced as an ornamental but has since escaped cultivation. It is reported to be invasive in at least 10 states, including South Carolina. You’ll often find it invading forest edges, rights-of-way, and the edges of disturbed areas.

Subscribers to BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine can collect one free Gardeners’ World Guide, choosing fromGrow Your Own, Gardening For Wildlife and Your Happy House Plants, each worth £7.99, at the BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, on Friday-Sunday, 1-3 September 2023, at Audley End House and Gardens, Essex.

At this time of year, many outdoor growers are winding down their plots. It’s time to clear away tender plants before the first frost, gather in the last of the harvest and make sure the hardy brassicas that can survive the winter weather are protected against marauding pigeons.

The garden and I are both grateful for the rain. The hot and dry weather doesn’t suit either of us. I’m happier in the cooler seasons of the year, which might explain why my autumn garden is going better than the summer one! The purple sprouting broccoli is starting to grow past its cabbage white damage, to the point where I am starting to stake it now, against the wind rock that will damage its roots in the winter. The flower sprouts haven’t got to that stage yet, but at least they are planted out in their final home and can start getting their roots down into the fertile soil. The leek bed is doing well, although there are one or two holes where seedlings have died. It doesn’t matter.