Island Life Magazine Ltd November/December 2005 | Page 27

GARDENING

Autumnal
g a rd e n i n g
Now you have enjoyed the seasons of buds, blossom and fruits and
vegetables, it is time for your garden to wind down for its winter
slumber. But that doesn’t mean to say it’s finished being a spectacle
just yet, so long as you have the right plants. Autumn will see
berries at their best and foliage dying off in a blaze of rich oranges,
yellows and reds.
And you’re not quite done with your chores either. Autumn is also
the season for you to start planning ahead for the three seasons of
next year. Put the work in now and you will make the most of next
spring, summer and autumn. The second planting season of the year
allows plants and trees to put roots down ready to make full use of
spring’s growing season. Exceptions to this rule are magnolias and
bare root roses, which are both better planted in early spring.

large pink/purple open flowers in the spring that go on to produce
lovely tomato-like inedible fruits in the autumn. Height and spread:
2m x 2m max.
Crab apple (Malus ‘John Downie’): Also hardy and deciduous, crab
apples provide multi-seasonal interest, with pretty blossom in the
spring and large red crab apples, suitable for making jam, in the
autumn. These look like Christmas baubles once the branches are
bear in the winter months. Height and spread: 10m x 7m. Special
requirements: Prefers full sun.
Spindle tree (Euonymus europaeus ‘red cascade’)
This bushy, deciduous shrub has oval green leaves that transform
into red in the autumn. The autumn also sees purple/pink fruits
split to reveal orange seeds. Height and spread: 3m x 3m max.
Cotoneaster
While some cotoneasters are evergreen, the deciduous varieties
provide a show of autumnal reds. With pretty white flowers tinged
with pink in the spring and clusters of vibrant red or orange berries
in the autumn, cotoneasters provide a good deal of seasonal
interest. Height and spread: 30cm to 10m x 2m to 10m.

Now is also the time to plant bulbs, make compost, divide
perennials and prepare growing beds for next spring. The abundance
of vegetable matter from trees and plants provides a supply for the
compost pile and next year’s vegetable garden. Dig a trench in your
vegetable garden, fill it with leaves, add some fertiliser and cover
with topsoil. Carry out this task annually and it will produce quality
soil which is organic in every sense of the word.
Unless you carefully planned your
garden last year to produce a
stunning autumnal display, there
isn’t much that you can do as a
quick fix. However, you can
consider incorporating interesting
plants and trees in your garden
design for next year. Here are
some shrubs and trees that make
the most of autumn’s display.
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
This hardy, deciduous tree has
attractive and delicate leaves in
either vibrant green or red
throughout the summer, but it is
the autumn foliage that s