Welcome to this week's newsletter

If the summer has been a symphony of colour, scent and beauty, autumn is the grand finale. The garden seems to know winter is around the corner and puts on one last spectacular to end the year with a bang you’ll remember right through till spring.

 

Trees of course contribute greatly to this autumn spectacle and we have a Free Illustrated Tree Talk by James Wickham this Saturday 15th October, to highlight the benefits and year round colour they can bring to a garden. See below for details.

 

As October is Re-Use Month The Ardcarne Garden Cafe and ourselves here at Boyle, thought it would be a great opportunity to show us your creativity in a Scarecrow Competition. Entry is Free and First Prize is €100. See the poster below for further details.

 

Hope to see you soon

Free TREE Event

Scarecrow Competition

Autumn leaves

The stage is set for one of the greatest shows of the gardening year. As the evenings draw in and the air takes on an autumnal chill, leaves turn from green to bonfire shades of red, orange and yellow: one of the true spectacles of the natural world. Choose trees and shrubs with particularly good autumn colour and you can have your very own personal fireworks display, right outside your back door.

 

If your garden is short on autumn sparkle, it’s not too late to pop down to the garden centre and put that right by planting a few trees and shrubs just about to burst into late season colour. Here’s our pick of the best:

 

Liquidambar

Maple-like leaves and long-lasting autumn colour

Parrotia 'Vanessa'

Narrower form of Persian Ironwood tree with crackling autumn colours

Japanese Maple

Amazing trees and shrubs with elegant leaves and fiery autumn shades

Amelanchier

Valuable small tree with pretty white flowers in late spring and rich autumn colour

Job of the week: Plant Bulbs

Job of the week: Plant Bulbs

Plant bulbs now for a brilliant spring display. Even a couple of packets can bring great colour to a patio pot at a time the garden really needs some bright flowers. We still have a good selection, but hurry along to get the bulbs planted during the mild autumn weather.

 

 

Flowers:
  • Reduce the height of bush roses to prevent wind rock damage
  • Plant late-flowering asters and chrysanthemums for an instant burst of colour
  • Fill windowboxes with winter bedding plants such as violas, ivies and cyclamen
Fruit & veg:
  • Plant garlic and autumn onion sets now
  • Start lifting root crops such as carrots towards the end of the month for storing in boxes of sand
  • Sow green manures on empty veg beds to protect the soil
Greenhouse:
  • Clear out old tomato plants once they stop producing ripe tomatoes
  • Move potted citrus trees to a frost-free greenhouse or conservatory
  • Check plants regularly for signs of pests or diseases
Around the garden:
  • Prepare the ground for planting bare-root hedging, roses or fruit bushes
  • Cover ponds with netting to catch falling autumn leaves
  • Transplant perennials and shrubs if necessary as they will re-establish easily at this time of year.

 
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