As the summer draws to a close, gardeners are beginning to prepare their patches for the winter season. Some homeowners pack away their barbeques, lock their sheds, and cover their garden furniture with the closing of the warmer season, placing their garden in a state of hibernation. This, however, doesn’t have to be the case and garden space can be designed not only to look great during the autumn season but also for positive utility too.
If you’re getting ready for the British winter, hoping for snow and braving the rain, don’t feel that your garden needs to be tidied away just yet. We’ve put together creative ideas and tips to help you design a wonderful autumnal garden space, one that you and your family can enjoy throughout the season.
Clean And Clear
Along with the winter chill often comes garden neglect. Few homeowners maintain their garden spaces during winter, preferring to wait until Spring instead. If your garden isn’t clean and clear in autumn, however, then the winter can become problematic, leading to even more work during spring. Use the autumn season as a period for cleaning and refreshing your garden space, taking care of weeds and ensuring that spaces are free from pests.
Prepare A Nest
Just because the climate will deter you from spending time outdoors, doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy your garden over winter. With outbuildings and personal log cabins, those built in your own garden, you can continue to use your garden all year round. Even a shed space can be turned into a warm nest for autumn and winter activities, so be sure to clear out any tools and equipment that you no longer need, making way, instead, for end of year projects.
Gather For Mulch
One of the most beautiful sights of autumn is the changing and falling of leaves. Your garden will likely become covered in various shades of brown leaf, leading you to clean them up. During autumn, however, you can create a small mulch pile, one contained with a small wire fence. This rudimentary storage allows you to collect fallen leaves over the season and then, after winter, scatter them onto your flower beds for improved soil health!
Plant Appropriately
As flowers turn to seed and their stems fall bare, autumn gardens begin to look emptier. This doesn’t have to be the case and, with the right evergreens, an autumn garden can be as bountiful and beautiful as at any other time of year. If you haven’t already planted something hardier, remove your more tender, season sensitive species and replace them with hardier plants that will make your garden beautiful as the temperature begins to drop.
Covers And Borders
As plants begin to transform and trees drop their leaves, gardens can become hazardous. Damp leaves are slippy and can even clog drains, while soft muds can cause floods or lost ground. If you want to continue using your garden space during the autumn season, you must prepare accordingly. Erect small fences around pathways and invest in coverings for areas of relaxation, as well as drains, to ensure that seasonal debris doesn’t become problematic.
