Let’s go outside

Border control

V i c t o r i a T r u m a n G a r d e n D e s i g n e r

Now is the time of year as you start the early autumn clear up to think about what you want your garden - no matter how big or small - to look next year and beyond.

With winter fast approaching it’s important to get all your cutting back done this month which will then give you the opportunity to see where there are gaps in borders or things you want to change.

Personally, I love to use lots of plants in addition to flowers as they help to really create atmosphere and drama in a garden. And, just like flowers, many of them boast

This is the time of year to start tidying and reassessing what you’d like in your garden next year. Try weaving in lots of plants and trees - not just flowers - into your borders and horticultural scheme says Victoria Truman

sensational scent and effective visual impact on beautiful spaces.

When planning, think how best to maximise your space whilst minimising the use of too much hard landscaping, as this can look too bleak. Gardens should be a place of tranquility and softness - not too harsh.

Along with plants, small trees, climbers, flowers and evergreen shrubs will help soften the hard features of paving and structural elements making for a far more cohesive and relaxing outdoor entertaining space.

After all a garden is not a garden without the atmosphere of plants and trees. Plants I love to use in my planting plans would include, Agapanthus ‘Queen Mum’ , olive trees, thyme, rosemary, lavender, Salvia Caradonna, Echinacea ‘White Swan’ and ‘Magnus’ being the most reliable.

Verbena Bonariensis and Euphorbia ‘Portuguese velvet’ planted in large swathes will really help you to create impact and drama.

A great garden should evoke feelings not just look pretty or well thought out. Happy planning and planting! For more gardening tips and inspiration visit Victoria’s website: www.victoriatruman.com

Garden tips for October

1. Care for your lawn by raking or brushing leaves off the grass. Try collecting them in a leaf bag, which will turn them into useful leaf mould. You can also cut the grass for one last time this year. 2. Make that last cut slightly higher to protect the lawn from winter frost. 3. Trim hedges so they are crisp and tidy for the winter. 4. October’s the time for clearing up. Greenhouses, ponds, gutters and water butts may all need cleaning out, wooden garden furniture will need covering or storing for the winter and terracotta pots will need bringing inside. 5. Divide herbaceous perennials. Plant some back in the ground; take others to pot up and give away to friends in the spring. 6. In the veg patch plant garlic cloves with their pointed ends up, and spaced 10cm apart. Plant bulbs for a colourful spring display. Try planting clumps of five or seven bulbs of the same variety through a border for a really effective display. 7. Plant out spring bedding and biennials, such as wallflowers, for spring displays. Pots and hanging baskets can be planted with spring bedding, and teamed with bulbs, grasses, cyclamen and violas for a colourful and textural display. 8. ’Plant’ prepared hyacinths in vases for winter scent and colour in the house. 9. After clearing and cutting back the borders, which often seems to take into November at least, it’s a good time to spread a mulch to help the more tender plants through the winter and to improve the organic structure of the soil.