There is a gentle magic to a British Autumn. The air turns crisp, the days shorten, and our gardens, once a riot of summer colour, begin to wind down. It is a natural time to want to retreat indoors, but I am here to tell you that autumn is one of the most exciting and productive times to be in the garden—especially for planting!
Many gardeners assume spring is the only time to get new plants in the ground, but autumn planting offers some incredible advantages that give your garden a huge head start for the following year.
After months of glorious summer sunshine, (especially the summer we had this year) the soil is still warm, which helps plants to establish their roots. Even as the air cools, the earth retains that warmth, creating the perfect environment for new roots to grow strong and deep. This means that a plant put in the ground now has months to settle before the winter chill sets in. When spring arrives, it will not be playing catch-up; it will be ready to burst into life, producing stronger, healthier growth and better blooms than a one planted in the spring.
Another benefit is that any necessary changes are fresh in your mind. You can still clearly remember what the garden looked like this summer. Was there a patch where a perennial struggled? A gap in the border that needed filling? Or perhaps a section that lost its sparkle a bit too early? By planting in autumn, you are working from a recent, vivid memory of your garden's performance. This allows you to fill those gaps and choose plants that will ensure a more continuous display from spring to late autumn the following year.
And let us not forget another fun aspect – bargain hunting! As garden centres begin to clear their stock to make way for winter displays, many of them have fantastic sales on. This is your chance to snap up some absolute gems—perennials, shrubs, and even small trees—at a fraction of their usual price. You can get more for your money and try out plants you might not have considered before.
New planting in autumn can really reinvigorate your garden for a few more weeks. There are so many wonderful plants that look their best right now. Think about the fiery reds and oranges of a Japanese Maple, the cheerful purple of Michaelmas daisies, or the bold, structural heads of Sedums. By adding these plants now, you are giving yourself and your garden an extra burst of colour and interest just as everything else is starting to fade. It is a wonderful way to extend the gardening season and keep the visual appeal fresh.
Finally, autumn gives you a chance to see what looks good at this time of year. Often, this is a time when the garden is going over, and its bones are revealed. You can see which plants provide good structure, which ones have interesting seed heads, (also helpful for feeding birds and hibernating insects) and which ones have stunning autumn foliage or berries. This helps you make more informed decisions about what to plant for a truly year-round garden, rather than just a summer one.
So, do not put those trowels away just yet! Embrace the season, enjoy the cooler weather, and get planting. Your garden, and your future self, will absolutely thank you for it.