Autumn

This has been a truly beautiful autumn with amazing leaf colour, but now the weather has changed and autumn gales are bringing down the last of the leaves. They may look untidy but fallen leaves can be put to good use making leafmould. Just gather up your fallen leaves and leave them to rot down. Running a mower over them before raking them up or putting them through a shredder will hasten the process. Make sure the leaves are damp and store them in bin liners with a few holes stabbed in the sides. Tie up the tops of the bags and store them in a corner of the garden. By the middle of next year the leafmould should be ready to use.
Leafmould can be used to replace peat in homemade potting composts. Mix it with your garden compost and top dress containers and borders or dig it into the veg patch. It's free and far too good to go to waste.

This is the time to plant tulip bulbs in the first half of November. Tulips like a sunny spot and if your soil is heavy plant the bulbs on a layer of grit to prevent the base sitting in water. I find that my tulips do much better in containers and add a welcome splash of colour to the patio in spring. After flowering let the foliage die down naturally, then lift and store the bulbs for replanting in the autumn. Lilies can also be planted between now and the end of April, whenever the soil is workable. If your soil is heavy lay the bulbs on a layer of sharp sand to improve the drainage. I grow lilies both in pots and in the borders. The smaller Asiatic variety is especially suitable for container growing and gives a colourful but fairly short-lived display on the patio.