Being kept busy and warm
The floral displays therefore last much longer and tend to blend well with the hazy blue skies and rather moody evening light. Michaelmas Daisies, with their masses of dusty pale-blue flowers, and pink Sedums pick up on the ambience of the skies.
However, these shades seem a most unlikely combination with the traditional early-autumn hues. But as described above, late September into early October does bring a kaleidoscope of colours to the garden – as happens in nature with the dusk sky.
This period also begins a very busy time for many weeks, usually until after the bonfire festivities, with much planning bulb-planting and border juggling.
Now is the time to move any shrubs or plants you would like to see in another spot of the garden.
Do a runner and pick them quickly
PICK runner beans as soon as they reach three or four inches in length. This will enable younger pods to keep producing for at least another two or three weeks.
Runner beans are next in line to sweetcorn for their qualities, regarding sprinting frantically back to the kitchen to retain their gorgeous flavour!
You’ll be Bamboo-zled
CUT OUT the weakest stems of bamboos, to show their strong colourful stems to their full potential. These wonderful plants are best not having the height trimmed down, as they look much prettier that way.
For winter colour, why not try a pot of Phyllstachys 'Nigra', the black-stemmed bamboo, which looks wonderful in a nice earthenware container close to the house - perhaps on a rear courtyard-style patio.
Stuck in the meadow with you
MEADOW-STYLE lawns need a good deal of attention in September. Harvest any seed-heads that you wish to keep for sowing over the plot a little later.
All top-growth ought then to be cut down, with shears or a strimmer. Be sure to rake away the clippings, to prevent these from breaking down and over-fertilising the soil.
Many meadow flowers, such as corncockle and poppies bloom much better on a rather poor soil - a richer soil would probably encourage too much foliage growth next year at the expense of flowers.
Seeds can then be broadcast, or sown in drifts over the area, once the soil become thoroughly moistened by autumn rains later on. Good ones to try are cornflowers, wood buttercups and cowslips. They can be divided every three years in late autumn or winter, or the whole plant can be lifted and root-cuttings taken and planted in pots in winter to get them established. A small cold-frame or sheltered corner will help them along.
Perfect conditions to herb-our them in
TAKE cuttings of Lavender, Sage, Verbena Bonariensis and Dianthus (pinks) and insert them into a sandy potting mix. These ripe stems will root readily in the warm, damp atmosphere, usually afforded by September.
Large shrubs which are obviously in the wrong place will need preparing for a big move in the next few weeks. Start now, by merely severing the surface roots in a circle around the plant, to reduce overall disturbance when lifting the plant when the cooler and moist autumn conditions arrive.
‘Hip hip hooray!’ say your garden birds
CONSIDER no longer dead-heading roses - instead, leave the spent blooms and seed-pods to produce rosy-coloured hips. These will not just serve the purpose for a winter display, they will provide nutritious feed for many types of birds.
The hips can also be used to simmer to produce a warm juice, which is ideal for making early winter cocktails.
Guaranteeing barrels of fun
Whilst the weather is still warm, why not make a small and very simple water feature?
A large, water filled oak barrel adds rustic charm to any cottage garden. Small varieties of water lilies may be planted in aqua baskets, toped with grit, and suspended into the container.
Alternatively, fill the pot three-quarters full with aquatic compost mixed with a little charcoal, and plant a Gunnera, Peltiphyllum (umberella leaf plant), or marginal (bog) Iris into it. Then top the remaining quarter with stone cobbles, and water in well.
Cam on, look after the Peonies
GIVE Peonies a weekly general liquid feed from now, until when the foliage starts to shrivel, and die down. This will boost their energy ready for next year's flower production.
Many spring-flowering shrubs will also respond nicely to such treatment - particularly Camellias and Azaleas. These acid-lovers should be fed with an ericaceous formula.
Three of a kind for your cottage garden:
HORSE chestnuts are ideal for a large garden and are particularly suited to overhanging the end of a long drive, well away from the house. They do cast a lot of shade and also tend to dry out the soil underneath.
However, they are particuarly attractive, most famously for their shiny brown conkers. As these fall, then the whole tree begins to shed its golden foliage.
FUCHSIA Genii displays its slim feminine droplet-shaped bulbs and slender bell-shaped flowers of pink and purple against its pale golden foliage. This sub-shrub will flower all the way through until the autumn frosts - perhaps well into November in a sheltered spot. Give them a position in partial shade with good humous-rich moisture retentive soil.
AUTUMN Crocus suddenly shoot up without leaves later in the month for a few short days. These blooms closely resemble their better-known and very widespread March-flowering cousins. But their colour-range is slightly more restricted to dusty pinks and purples that give just as much drama, but added delicacy in the fading light of early autumn.
Time to show some good Peren-ting skills
Now is a perfect time to be lifting and diving tired perennials, such as day lilies and Iris Germanica, which have long finished their summer displays.
Replant smaller, more vigorous sections close together in groups for maximum impact. Bearded Iris need their rhizomes set onto the soil surface, as you backfill them.
Be sure to water well, and add fish, blood and bonemeal to hungrier varieties of plants.
Getting fruity
CUT BACK the old fruited stems of summer raspberries, leaving the new shoots in place to fruit next year. Give them a good mulch.
Ear’s one to never forget
Divide Bergenias (elephant’s ears), if necessary, to prevent overcrowding. New plants can be planted to provide winter interest in areas where summer perennials, such as Hostas or Ferns, have died down. After, give them a liquid feed for a few weeks afterwards.
Month nine will be fine
SEPTEMBER is expected to be often warm with good dry sunny periods. There should be some heavy and thundery bursts of rain at times though which undoubtedly will be useful for moistening those borders.
A month of regular night time dew, mist or fog is also likely. Some indications suggest this to be the last warmer-than average month until December.
