Nov’s the time to get your border in order!
Increasingly, berries, rosehips and seed-heads play an important role in the gently fading borders. Sunny days, each one a bonus, provide the sort of low-angled golden light which illuminates all these late colours.
There is a great deal to do this month to ensure that your borders look as effective and as showy as they did this year - if not, even better.
This is certainly a good time to have a thorough sort out by lifting and dividing all of your tired plants, moving or removing those which occupy too much space, or simply cutting some of these back hard.
Look below for our step-by-step guide to renovating and rejuvenating your borders.
Brilliant for brave bold, and not bald, borders
LIFT and divide any of those perennials which didn’t flower too well this year. The reason for the poor blooming is usually that the clump has become congested and matted - don’t be afraid to dig the whole clump up and soak it in a bucket of water to ease the division process. This works particularly well with Day Lilies, Phlox, Astrantia and Phystostegia.
Some of the tougher crowns, namely Hostas and Astilbe, may need to be cut into segments with a small saw. When dividing these plants, don’t be afraid to be ruthless by keeping only the young fresh shoots and roots (usually on the outskirts of the clump) and disposing of the main woody crown. Replant the young pieces a few inches apart to form a generous sized clump, in well-prepared and dug soil which has had plenty of bulky organic matter added to it, along with some bonemeal.
When planting, consider the height and spread of each clump and always allow a little bit more room than the previous crown occupied. Also, give consideration as to the aspect of the site - does it get plenty of sun? Or is it in dappled or full shade? Does this area dry out readily in summer? Or is the soil heavy and wet?
Working with nature is always best - try to plant where the clumps will be happy, rather than trying to make them grow in a relatively unsuitable situation. This will not only make the borders easier to maintain next season, but will also make them look all together more vibrant and so effective. When planting, why not add a group of spring bulbs to provide some early colour? For instance, when the foliage of Allium bulbs starts to die down (as the flowers appear), so young Hosta leaves rapidly take their place.
When the Hosta leaves die down in November. so the vibrant young leaves of Arum Italicum appear to bring their marbled silvery effect to the winter scene. And then, of course, Snowdrops can be added to the Arums to provide those delicate white blooms before the Alliums appear. thus making maximum use of any available space.
Be brave, be bold and experiment!
Put a spring in your plot
IF YOU fancy a really vibrant spring show, provided by many colours and which will fill your garden with delicious scent, then plant a large group of Wallflowers.
Be sure to plant them very firmly to prevent wind-rock during winter. Add a little lime to soils which are acidic in nature.
For those gardens near the house
PLANT UP patio containers for winter. Half-fill the container with compost and then plant plenty of miniature-flowered early blooming Narcissi.
Fill the container to the top with compost and finish off with a mixture of Violas, Primroses and Cyclamen.
If you want your roses to rise...
NOW IS the time to order and plant new roses. This invaluable shrub can be planted anywhere in borders to provide a splash of colour throughout the summer with the added bonus of shiny red and autumn hips.
SOW SWEET Pea seeds in deep pots of compost (to reduce root disturbance later). These can be stood out in a cold-frame or a sheltered garden corner near the house. Plant out in March for earlier blooms.
The autumn varieties are in-Cam-descent
CAMELLIAS are well-known for their masses of spring flowers which are available in singles or doubles and these blooms can reach a spectacular size of up to 8ins across.
However, there are a small number of Camellias which will flower for a good part of autumn. C. Sasanqua is one such species which blooms from early autumn until after Christmas. These have generally smaller and single pink or red flowers, produced more sparingly than the spring varieties, but over a much longer period. A white variety is also available.
Sasanquas generally tolerate a neutral or even alkaline soil more than their spring-flowering cousins. They also adapt better to conditions of full sun and drier soil than the spring ones which conversely need dappled shade and steady moisture.
Leave no leaves unturned
KEEP crowns of plants free of autumn leaves and other debris. Allowing leaves to build up in drifts around clumps would enable slugs and snails to take residence and damage the young shoots provided encouraged by the sheltered conditions.
Don’t cut everything back though - some herbaceous perennials have very attractive seed-heads. Examples include Michaelmas Daisies, Sedums and even shrubs such as Spireas and Potentillas.
The way to deal with these is probably to forage around the bases of the stems and remove as many leaves as possible.
If your garden catches you in the height of passion
IF YOU have a spare area of your garden which could do with building up, why not consider adding some height and structure to your plot.
A pergola can help to create a walkway which is surrounded dimensionally by rambling roses or many other vigorous climbers. An arbour can, on the other hand, create privacy in a small area by providing a loose small ‘room’.
Such structures need to be planned with consideration as to how they will be used. An arbour really needs to be situated close to the house as it is likely to be providing a haven for entertainment or relaxation. Pergolas can be used almost anywhere to link one part of the garden to another in an ornate and satisfying way.
It is probably best to use the next few wintry months to do most of the planning and buying of materials. Weather permitting, the structures can then be built whilst the garden is generally resting. If you are fortunate enough to have dry weather, thereafter, the structures may be creosoted or painted.
Many plants can go in to the base of the uprights during winter or early spring and roses and clematis benefit from being planted whilst dormant into cold soil. This will enable them to grow more sturdily later on during spring having established themselves in a moist soil.
Three of a kind for your cottage garden:
ACER ‘Sangu-Kaku’ is a wonderful, fairly slow-growing, Japanese tree which produces fantastic autumn shades of orange, yellow, pink and red. When this foliage falls, it reveals the bare pinkish orange young bark which fades to a warm brown with age.
Sun – but not necessarily warm
NOVEMBER should start off dry and settled with some frost and fog around - as well as some sunny days.
During the course of the month it will become more unsettled and wet and windy at times, although milder and still sunnier than average.
LEUCOTHOE ‘Rainbow’ is a brilliant dwarf evergreen shrub, ideal for use as ground cover in a semi-woodland situation where a spongey humous-rich soil exists. This evergreen produces cream splashed pink and green leaves which turn a distinct purplish red after the first frosts. Like Acers, plant them in an acid soil.
CYCLAMEN tend to be available in a wild form, which flowers from September to November and self-seeds prolifically. Alternatively, for a quick splash of colour, many garden outlets and fruit and veg shops sell hybrid Cyclamen in full bud and flower.
