GARDENING – NOVEMBER.qxp_Layout 2 20/10/2023 12:45 Page 1
November in the garden
November takes on a slower pace in the garden, but simple maintenance and clearing tasks, some bulb planting, protecting tender plants and feeding the birds as other sources of food run scarce will prep you for the year ahead, says Elly West
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love this month in the garden. Everything has slowed right down, giving us time to breathe, catch up and get on top of any jobs that need doing. In summer mowing the lawn and pulling out weeds can feel like a fruitless task when a week later it all needs doing again, but in autumn there is satisfaction from clearing and cutting back, knowing the garden will stay that way for a while. Now is a good time to don thick socks and wellies and get outside to clear away summer growth that has become old and tatty. This will make way for the current stars of the garden to shine, whether it’s the golds and reds of autumn leaves, interesting and colourful stems, architectural seed heads or jewel-like berries. Leave the more attractive and architectural seed heads in situ, such as hydrangeas, sedums, cardoons, grasses and phlomis as they will provide structure over winter, look beautiful when sparkling with frost and strung with cobwebs, and will also provide food and shelter for wildlife. By the end of the month, leaves will be falling in earnest, so make time to sweep them up to help avoid overwintering pests and diseases. While they will eventually break down in the borders, it’s better to collect them to make leaf mould – a brilliant soil conditioner that can then be spread around your plants. If you have space, a simple leaf bin made from chicken wire and posts will do the job. Otherwise just chuck them in old compost bags with a few ventilation holes spiked with a fork, and leave it out of sight for a year or two to break down. While you’re outside clearing and cutting back, take stock and assess what’s worked and what hasn’t during the previous season. Don’t be afraid to prune or remove shrubs that have outgrown their space (or ones that you just don’t really like) to make way for more cherished and chosen new specimens. This is an easier job now, while the soil is soft and easier to dig, and you can better see the bare bones of the 68 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2023 | No 228
garden. New shrubs, hedges and trees can be planted and there are bargains to be had if you choose bare-rooted options. I prefer to wait until spring to plant new perennials though, as it’s always a little disheartening to plant a pot of what looks like just soil and dying twigs, as opposed to a pot full of fresh green growth emerging from that overwintered rootstock. This is also the perfect time to plant bulbs, and with the borders cut back and cleared, you’ll be able to find patches of bare soil to dig into and squeeze in these little parcels of promise. Then you can sit back and wait for a succession of colour next spring and into
A wood nuthatch and young blue tit on hanging bird feeder