Autumn might be on its way but don’t let that put you off getting out into the garden. This blog aims to provide you with 6 ways to enjoy your garden this Autumn. The autumnal weather offers up lots of crisp, sunny days so is the perfect time to clean-up your outdoor space and prepare it for the winter months ahead. It’s also a great time to take advantage of the sunlight that’s still around and encourage young family members outside with you to lend a hand.

To help you make the most of your garden this autumn, we’ve created five things to do in your garden or outdoor space over the coming weeks and months.

1. Tidy-up crunchy leaves

Crunchy leaves are fun for children to crunch (of course) and use for arts and crafts. However letting leaves lie on your turf can cause damage over the winter months. They can create brown patches and affect drainage if you have artificial turf.

Rather than throw the leaves you gather up away, an alternative use for them is to create a pile with added bits of wood to make a safe haven for little animals like hedgehogs or insects.

2. Keep Your Local Wildlife Happy

It’s more difficult for birds and animals to find food during the autumn and winter months, so why not create a home-made bird feeder to support our wildlife in the uncertain environmental times.  

The RHS even recommend putting out finely chopped bacon rind and grated cheese for small birds such as wrens. Sounds tasty!

Below is a step-by-step guide to building a homemade bird feeder. Upcycling a plastic bottle is a crafty way to give something that would otherwise be put in the bin, a new purpose.

This a a simple feeder to make that will attract birds to your garden in no time. See which birds are visiting your garden with the RSPB’s bird identifier . Woodpigeons, Blackbirds and Blue Tits are said to be some of the nation’s most common garden bird visitors. What will you see?

3. Pruning Makes for Perfect Spring Plants

Pruning your garden plants in the autumn and before it gets too cold in the winter will keep your plants, trees and bushes looking perfect when the spring comes back around again. There are however some plants that will cope with being cut back in the winter. Find out which ones you should touch and which ones you shouldn’t. 

4. Sow seeds for a 2021 crop

Whilst lots of root vegetables are harvested in the autumn, from pumpkins to parsnips and turnips. The autumn provides the perfect conditions for sowing seeds for next year’s crop. Onions, garlic, and spring onion seeds could be an option.

Begin your seedlings life indoors. We suggest using small containers called starter pots to home them. This will help them to grow strong and give them a better chance of surviving when planted outdoors. If space is limited, Herbs are ideal. They can live in pots in your kitchen and be used all year round.

If you want to grow something a little more fruity, have a look at this guide on planting Strawberries. Perfect with cream or as part of a fruity punch! This step-by-step guide will talk you through growing your own!

5. Plan a new-look garden

You might be thinking about a change of layout in your garden or might already have grand garden plans in mind. Take the time this autumn to envisage those plans. Get a feel for how you currently use the space and what you would most like to change. Check out our garden ideas for inspiration before putting pen to paper in drawing up those plans.

You may also want to think about alternative ways to enhance your garden which don’t involve plants during the Autumn and winter months. Gravel, Pebbles, Cobbles and Feature Stones are just a few ways to create a beautiful garden which you can enjoy with little upkeep. You can lay aggregates in any season so Autumn would seem the perfect time before the dark nights kick in!

6. Get stone painting

Whilst on the topic of aggregates, let’s talk stone painting! We expect Halloween this year will not involve much ‘trick or treating’ due to Covid restrictions so it’s time to think of some other ways to get creative with the kids!

Why not do some spooky Halloween themed cobble painting? This is an easy and satisfying craft activity. Our Scottish Cobbles or Duck Egg Cobbles are perfect for this. The painted pebbles/cobbles can be scattered around your windowsills and garden as a Halloween decoration. Hopefully they can be used year on year!