Autumn is a time for reflection in the garden, as we think about those parts of the garden that still need more work. It doesn’t have to mean the end of the gardening year, by careful planning you can still provide a crescendo of fiery colours provided by late flowering herbaceous, ornamental grasses along with deciduous trees and shrubs too. It’s also time to start thinking about Spring, and now is the ideal time to start planting your spring bulbs. By combining a simple mix of Narcissis, Tulips and Alliums, you will be able to provide a colourful combination of flower in the garden from March until June. Always buy more than you think you need, as often these displays look better en masse rather than a few flowers dotted here and there through your borders. A further tip would be to only plant the smaller narcissi in your borders as the big trumpet daffs are overpowering and thuggish amongst your other border plants.

Grasses have the ability to linger late into the year as autumn draws to a close, and few are as impactful as the bright red leaves and gentle seedheads of Panicum virgatum Shenandoah. The neat, red streaks of the grassy leaves provide colour and interest in the garden when most flowers have given up. They sometimes persist for so long that in mild winters it is possible to find the foliage right into the winter, radiating warmth on dark winter afternoons.

As a deciduous, clump-forming perennial grass, Panicum Shenandoah will grow up to 90cm in height with green blades, the tips of which turn carmine-red in early summer. Later in autumn the foliage turns a dramatic shade of yellow. Tiny purplish-red flowers are held in airy, open panicles at the end of wiry stems from late summer into autumn.

Commonly known as switchgrass, Panicum is native to the prairies of North America. In gardens, it’s particularly valued for the upright foliage, masses of hazy flowers in early autumn followed by gorgeous autumn colour. In its native habitat it is the dominant species of the tall North American prairie grasses. Panicum is the ancient Latin name for Italian Millet. Virgatum is from the Latin meaning ‘made of twigs striped’.

For best results, grow Panicum virgatum in full sun in well-drained soil. Leave the seedheads and foliage alone until February to provide winter interest, then cut right back early spring to make way for the new growth. Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ is useful in a wide variety of situations due to its tolerance of wet to dry soils. It is suitable for low maintenance prairie type planting schemes, it looks fantastic when planted en masse and due to its deep roots, it is also useful for soil stabilisation. Once established this grass is drought tolerant. It pairs well with other drought tolerant plants too, like Echinacea purpurea, Echinops and Perovskia Blue Spire along with Sedums, Penstemon and Gaura.

Panicum is a star of the autumn garden but its also great for spring and summer too. The emerging grassy blades providing textural contrasts for all other plants in the garden. Because its not such a big thug of a grass it can be incorporated into smaller schemes too where it will provide a huge amount of colour, texture and form for months of the year. A great addition for any garden scheme.

Jobs to do this month include:
Ornamental Garden:
• Mulch borders with compost if not done in the spring.
• Continue deadheading if weather is mild.
• Remove fallen leaves from Roses to prevent blackspot.
• Continue to tidy borders of weeds and leaves.
• Transplant any plants that need to be moved.
• Plant spring bulbs such as Daffodils etc. But NOT tulips – wait until November to avoid tulip blight.
• Lift and divide perennials.
• Plant up containers etc for winter bedding displays.
• Apply autumn lawn feed etc.
• Now is a good time to plant trees and shrubs the soil is moist and warm.
• Sow sweet peas under glass.
• Can lift summer flowering bulbs / tubers and overwinter in greenhouse or can heavily mulch plants and leave in the ground. Eg., gladioli, dahlia, canna.
• Cut back herbaceous perennials as they die back.
• Prune climbing roses to avoid wind rock.
• Refill bird feeders regularly.
• Install insect hotels / log piles.

Vegetable Garden:
• Begin planting garlic
• Apply fleece to late season crops when frost is forecast.
• Lift and divide rhubarb.
• Clear away old foliage of strawberries to prevent pest and diseases.
• Pot up herbs and take into frost free greenhouse or windowsill to continue cropping through the winter.
• Complete planting onion setts and plant out spring cabbage.
• Harvest squash and pumpkin if not already done so.