Thoughts turning to planning......

September is a great time to look forward and plan for next year. We at Beautiful Borders, can give you some tips on how to make the most of this time of year!

What better way to get us all through Winter, than to look forward to seeing the first signs of life popping their heads up in Spring. Now is the time to choose your Spring flowering bulbs and to plan where you want to plant them. Daffodils, Hyacinths and Crocus can all be planted from September, but Tulips are best left a little later to avoid them rotting in a particularly wet Autumn; we tend to go for late November/early December, but before the ground freezes.

If you enjoy growing from seed, collect seeds from your perennial plants. It’s a good idea to purchase seed envelopes to store them and be sure to choose a dry day for seed collecting, arming yourself with some sharp secateurs! Avoid collecting any seed heads that are damp and ensure they are thoroughly dry before storing. Don’t forget to label them to avoid any surprises next year! My absolute favourite perennial is Astrantia. Every year I attempt to grow it from seed, with little to no success, but I won’t give up trying!

Before you begin cutting back perennials for Winter, I’d encourage you to think about dividing plants up. This is really good for overall plant health, giving them more space (which improves airflow), but it is also a great way to fill gaps in borders or even share plants with friends and family. You may find you have some ‘thugs’ in your garden, such as particularly vigorous hardy Geraniums or some varieties of Persicaria. Dividing will help control them. I made the mistake of growing Achillea ptarmica ‘Ballerina’, without division and at least once a year it would take over.

If you have noticed any plants producing fewer flowers this year, dividing can be a great way to rejuvenate them, encouraging more roots. There are some good instructions available online but if you are nervous about trying it, perhaps start with something simple like bearded Iris. Cut back all of the leaves to around 6 inches before lifting the whole plant. Choose the sections of rhizome with the largest fans of leaves. Using a sharp knife, cut them away from the rest of the plant. Replant your divided rhizomes on the surface, ensuring that the roots are beneath the soil level and making sure to leave space between each plant. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to give it a try!