Autumn is here but that is no reason to hide away indoors! Treat yourself to some warm winter clothing like these mens aran sweaters from Shamrock Gift and get out into the garden where there is plenty to do at this time of year…
Plant Bulbs – Although there are dark and gloomy months ahead, planting bulbs now will provide your garden with some beautiful blooms as spring arrives. Snowdrops are the first, bravely poking their heads up in mid-February and the low temperatures won’t deter them! A symbol of warmer weather and better days to come, snowdrops are a native plant that can often be found carpeting woodland floors in late winter an early spring. Daffodils are also a good choice, peeping up a little later than snowdrops, around March time, their sunny yellow heads coincide with the arrival of the Spring equinox – the time at which the light and dark are in balance and the hours of daylight from this time then start to be longer than the hours of darkness. Both are great for gardens, being native plants, they are easy to grow and care for, and adapt well to most types of soil, as well as pots and containers.
Clean Up – There are lots of cleaning jobs to do in the garden at this time of the year. For starters, the autumn leaves that look so beautiful on the trees can make a real mess on the garden, as well as being a slipping hazard as they get wet and become slimy and slippery. They can also fall on grass and on other plants, which can smother them and cause them to die, so keep on top of the cleaning up of autumn leaves. However, don’t throw them in the green waste bin – they can either be added to your compost bin, or you can put them into piles in a secluded area of the garden where they will provide a brilliant winter shelter for animals like hedgehogs over the colder months.
As well as leaves, this is also a time to give bird baths and nest boxes a good clean – just wash them with warm water, as many cleaning products are harmful to wildlife – and then they are ready for the winter when the birds will be looking for a bath as well as shelter and food.
Make Repairs – Winter weather can cause some serious damage so make sure that you have winter proofed the garden as best you can. If you have trees that overhang the house, get some advice from a tree surgeon and cut it back if necessary, as the high winds could blow branches onto the roof causing damage. This is also a good time to make repairs to external structures such as sheds and fences so that they can withstand the bad weather that winter will bring.
