Island Life Magazine Ltd October/ November 2012 | Page 88

GARDENING

Autumn gardening
with Thompsons
After a disappointing season for all
gardeners now’s the time to make a
fresh start. Replace summer bedding
in borders, tubs and baskets. For
tubs, window boxes and baskets mini
cyclamen, winter flowering heathers,
pansies and violas give a colourful
display.
Yoder mums (hardy chrysanthemums)
are larger plants forming a cushion
of colour for single pots or border
planting, while polyanthus and hardy
dianthus are colourful additions for
beds and borders.
An autumn clear up is essential,

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prune shrubs and hardy herbaceous
perennials and tidy borders.
Now is the ideal time for planting
extra shrubs, perennials and trees;
while the soil is moist and warm. Add
bone meal when planting to encourage
good root growth and healthy plants.
Perennials are available as small
young plants providing good value for
money. Plant the perennials in groups
of three to produce a more immediate
and bolder impact of colour for next
summer.
For autumn colour choose plants
now available; giving colourful

autumn foliage, stems and berries.
Add goodness to the soil; mulch newly
planted beds, trees and shrubs with
manure and bark.
Plant bulbs for spring colour. These
can be added to tubs and baskets or in
borders. Early flowering bulbs bring
the first sign of spring. Plant now,
some favourites include snowdrops,
crocus and daffodils.
The bright colours of tulips including
dwarf varieties can be planted until
November.
Fruit trees and bushes can be planted
now along with over wintered onion