Here's to a (hopefully) sunny September! It may have been a damper and cooler summer than we'd hoped for but September can often be a beautiful mild and sunny month so keep those fingers (and everything else) crossed!
For many of us September is one of our favourite months in the garden. It's that month when the garden looks full and probably slightly overgrown but with that beautiful relaxed feel. The late flowering perennials and elegant swaying grasses are enjoying their time in the spotlight, along with the large foliage of any exotic plants. September is a time when we know the main summer is over so we're all the more grateful for any sunny days and time outside.
Extend the holiday vibes with olives and palms
Olives and palms are ideal for instantly adding a Mediterranean look and feel to the garden. Just give them a sunny spot and good drainage and they'll reward you by thriving all year round either in containers or in the ground. Bananas and other exotic plants also help with the holiday vibes!
Plant new plants to fill the gaps
September is an ideal time for planting while the soil is still warm and the damper months are still to come. For instant effect add grasses and late flowering perennials such as Sedum which also provide nectar for the pollinating insects into the autumn. Take a good look at your garden and think about any changes or additions required for next year so that you can take advantage of this ideal planting time for evergreens, trees, climbers, shrubs, roses and perennials. Our friendly Clifton team always love looking at photos of customers' gardens so, if you're stuck for ideas, just take some photos and bring them along to either nursery where our team will be happy to suggest suitable plants. Or if you're planning a significant redesign and/or replanting just email our landscaping team.
Plan ahead for the spring by planting spring bulbs
Everybody loves spring bulbs! Brightening up your garden in spring, garden bulbs can be thought of as little nuggets of flower power. Lying dormant for some of the year, when they do come into flower you'll definitely know about it! With the exception of tulips September is the best time for planting spring bulbs. Tulips should be planted in October/November. Refer to our Top Tips for Planting Bulbs for planting details.
Entertain with firepits and pizza ovens
Extend the season in your garden with the warmth, ambience and atmosphere of firepits, and enjoy sitting by a live fire in the evening with friends and family ..... while toasting marshmallows of course! And who can resist pizza freshly cooked in a wood-fired pizza oven? Visit our Surrey nursery to view our pizza ovens, in a range of sizes to fit all gardens.
Keep watering - especially spring flowering shrubs
In dry periods continue to water, especially any recently planted trees and shrubs. Ensure that you include all Camellias and Rhododendrons (regardless of when planted) in your watering as this is when their flower buds are maturing and filling out in preparation for next spring's flowering. However, avoid feeding them now as this may encourage fresh new growth which will then be vulnerable to damage from any freezing weather in the winter.
Adapt your houseplant care to the cooler months
Many of our houseplants originate in the tropics so they start to feel the cold long before we do! If you moved any of them outside for the summer, now is the time to return them indoors. As the weather starts to cool it's time to reduce the watering and feeding regime (prior to stopping feeding for the season in October). More houseplants suffer from over-watering than under-watering so, for the majority of houseplants, resist watering until the top of the compost feels dry.
Deadhead and start the autumn tidyup but leave some for the wildlife!
Continue to deadhead annuals and flowering perennials to keep them flowering for as long as possible, but leave some flowerheads to go to seed to help feed the birds. You may need to weed and start to tidy up the garden at this time of year but be kind to the wildlife by not tidying up too much.
Enjoy your garden or outdoor space this September and, in between everything else, don't forget the importance of just relaxing and enjoying everything that nature has to offer. Have a good September!