As we approach autumn, we look back over a seriously fraught summer. There cannot be a single person in this country who was not affected by the extremes of weather we have experienced. The spring came early, in the middle of March in most UK areas. Everything seemed on course for a normal cool spring moving into warmth before the summer arrived. We like to remember setting the plans we had for breakfasts out on the patio and being able to do a little gentle watering and deadheading of flowers as we wander round our own little estate. Well the shock of seriously hot dry weather made us realise that this idyl is not lasting for everybody and that a certain amount of catching has to be done when the autumn approaches.
Autumn is the time to prepare the flower beds and borders for the next season and the beds can be cleared and the remnants dug up and put on the compost pile. Clearing up deseased leaves and grasses will help protect the garden throughout the winter. If there are lots of trees about, then taking a black plastic garbage bag, especially a thicker reinforced one, and filling with all the newly fallen leafage is a good start for any garden. Take the black bin bag, pierce one or two holes neaar the bottom, fill with as many newly fallen leaves as possible. Its no good filling with hard leaves that never soften. For example, holly or very harp gladioli leafage. But other leaves will be ideal. Keep pushing the leaves down in the bag and try to eleminate them coming up to the top. Make sure there is some means of closing the bag tightly but not tied so much that they bag goes wrong!
