Spring may be the season when we all rush out to enjoy the garden, but autumn is when we can give it a wonderful head start. After the heat of summer, the air is cooler and the soil is usually becoming moist again. A newly planted tree or shrub can spend the quieter months settling its roots into its new home, ready to grow when spring arrives. It's one of the reasons we love this time of year at Gardening World.

A tree for every sort of garden

Choosing a tree is one of the most enjoyable decisions you can make for your garden. You're choosing something that will change with the seasons and become part of the view from your window for years to come. If you love autumn colour, a Liquidambar can be spectacular, with leaves turning shades of red, orange and purple. It does need room to grow, so it's one to choose with its eventual size in mind. Amelanchier is a lovely option where space is tighter: delicate white flowers in spring, berries in summer and warm leaf colour in autumn. Rowans (Sorbus) bring clusters of berries as well as seasonal colour. Crab apples (Malus) offer blossom in spring followed by little fruits later in the year. And for the graceful look of a familiar British tree, it's hard to go past a silver birch, with its light canopy and pale bark. A small garden can still have a tree. The trick is to choose the right tree for the space it will occupy when fully grown, rather than judging it by the size of the pot it's in today!

Shrubs do so much of the work

Shrubs give a garden its shape. They fill the space between larger trees and smaller plants, soften a fence or wall, and provide interest when the summer flowers have finished. For colour that lasts through the colder months, consider the bright winter stems of red-stemmed dogwood (Cornus alba). Euonymus alatus earns its place with brilliant autumn foliage, while Viburnum tinus stays green and brings flowers during the quieter part of the year. If you'd like more privacy, Photinia ‘Red Robin' is popular for its colourful young leaves, while laurel makes a substantial evergreen screen. Pyracantha can be grown against a wall or as a hedge, with white flowers followed by colourful berries. Imagine it around a front window, bringing colour just when the garden needs it. There's no need to fill a border with one type of shrub. A mixture of leaf shapes, heights, flowers and berries makes the garden more interesting in every season. 

Thinking about a hedge? 

Autumn is also a good time to plan a new boundary. Beech, hornbeam and hawthorn all make lovely hedges. Beech often holds onto its coppery leaves through winter, while hornbeam is worth considering where the soil is heavier. Hawthorn brings a softer, more natural feel. If you prefer an evergreen hedge, we can help you choose one that suits the space and the look you want.

Give your new plants the best start

Before you plant, take a moment to look at the spot. How much sun does it get? Does water sit there after rain? And how wide might that tree or shrub eventually become? Matching the plant to the place saves a great deal of trouble later. Dig a hole wide enough to loosen the surrounding soil, but don't bury the trunk or stems deeper than they were growing in the pot. Water well after planting, then keep an eye on new plants during dry spells, especially next spring and summer. A layer of mulch over the soil can help hold in moisture; just leave a little space around the trunk or stems. If the ground is frozen or waterlogged, wait until conditions improve. There's no prize for planting into a puddle! 

 

One of the nicest things about autumn planting is that you can see what the season brings out in a plant before you choose it. Come and wander through our tree and shrub area at Gardening World Limited in Newington. Tell us about your garden, and we'll help you find something you'll enjoy watching grow.