Plan Ahead: What to Plant Now for Autumn and Next Spring

As summer begins to move towards autumn, it is the perfect time to start planning ahead in the garden. While there is still colour to enjoy now, a little preparation at this stage can help keep your outdoor space looking good through the changing seasons and into next year.

This week in our Monday Garden Guide, we are focusing on what to plant now for autumn and next spring, including biennials, bulbs, soil preparation and compost.

Why Plan Ahead Now?

Gardening is all about seasons. The work you do now can make a big difference to how your garden looks later in the year and next spring.

Late summer and early autumn are ideal times to refresh tired areas, improve the soil and think about future colour. By planning ahead, you can avoid empty borders and make sure there is always something to look forward to.

Whether you have a large garden, a small patio or a few pots, now is a great time to prepare for the months ahead.

Plant Biennials for Next Year

Biennials are plants that are usually sown or planted one year and flower the next. They are a lovely way to add early colour and charm to borders, pots and cottage-style planting schemes.

Popular biennials include wallflowers, foxgloves, forget-me-nots, honesty and Sweet Williams. These plants can help bridge the gap between spring bulbs and summer bedding, bringing welcome colour after winter.

By late summer, biennials sown earlier in the year may be ready to plant out. Young plants bought from the garden centre can also be planted now, giving them time to establish before colder weather arrives. RHS guidance notes that biennials are usually sown in summer and flower the following year, with examples including foxgloves, wallflowers and honesty.

When planting, choose a position suited to each plant. Foxgloves are often happy in partial shade, while wallflowers usually prefer a sunny, well-drained spot. Always check the plant label for guidance.

Foxgloves are beautiful but toxic if eaten, so handle them with care and consider their position if you garden with children or pets.

Start Thinking About Spring Bulbs

Spring bulbs are one of the easiest ways to bring colour to the garden after winter. Daffodils, tulips, crocuses, hyacinths, muscari and alliums can all create beautiful displays in borders, pots and containers.

Bulbs are especially useful because they can be planted in autumn and then left to surprise you with colour the following spring.

You can plant bulbs in groups for a natural look, layer them in containers or use them to brighten entrances, patios, pathways and borders near windows.

As a general guide, many spring-flowering bulbs are planted at around three times their own depth, but always check the packet instructions. The RHS recommends planting spring-flowering bulbs in autumn, with daffodils, crocus and hyacinths preferably planted by the end of September, while tulips are usually planted later, in November.

Refresh Pots and Containers

As summer displays begin to fade, containers may need a seasonal refresh. Remove tired plants, clear away dead leaves, top up with fresh peat-free compost where needed and start thinking about plants that will carry the garden into autumn.

You can use autumn bedding, evergreen plants, small shrubs, grasses or biennials to keep pots looking interesting.

Good choices may include:

• Pansies and violas

• Cyclamen

• Heucheras

• Small evergreen shrubs

• Ornamental grasses

• Wallflowers

• Forget-me-nots

• Compact skimmias

• Ivy for trailing edges

Make sure containers have drainage holes and are large enough for the plants you choose. Pots can dry out quickly in warm late-summer weather, so continue checking compost regularly.

A refreshed container by the front door, patio or driveway can make a big difference as the seasons change.

Improve Your Soil

Healthy soil is the foundation of a healthy garden. After a busy growing season, borders and containers can benefit from extra care.

Adding well-rotted garden compost, manure or soil conditioner can help improve soil structure and support strong root growth. This is especially useful before planting new shrubs, perennials, biennials or bulbs.

Where possible, improve the wider planting area rather than filling only the planting hole with rich compost. This encourages roots to spread into the surrounding soil.

You can also add bark or mulch around established plants to help protect the soil, reduce weeds and hold moisture. Apply mulch to moist, weed-free soil and keep it away from stems, crowns and trunks to reduce the risk of rotting.

Divide and Replant Perennials

Late summer and early autumn can be a good time to divide some established perennials, especially if they have become crowded or are not flowering as well as they used to.

Dividing perennials can refresh the plant and give you extra plants for other areas of the garden.

The RHS advises dividing summer-flowering perennials in spring or autumn when the soil is dry enough to work, and notes that many perennials benefit from division every two to three years to maintain health and vigour.

After dividing and replanting, water plants well and continue to check them while they settle back in. Avoid dividing plants during very hot, dry weather, as this can cause unnecessary stress.

Not all perennials like being divided, so check individual plant requirements before lifting them.

Add Structure for the Colder Months

As summer flowers fade, structure becomes more important. Evergreen shrubs, grasses, climbers and small trees can help keep the garden looking attractive through autumn and winter.

Adding a few structural plants now can make borders feel fuller and more balanced. They also create a strong background for seasonal colour and spring bulbs.

Good structural plants may include:

• Hebe

• Skimmia

• Euonymus

• Pittosporum

• Bay

• Ivy

• Small conifers

• Ornamental grasses

• Compact shrubs for containers

Choose plants that suit your soil, space and light levels. Always check eventual height and spread before planting, especially in small gardens or near paths, windows and doors.

Prepare for Spring Colour

One of the best things about planning ahead is the reward you get later. Planting bulbs and biennials now means your garden will have colour ready to appear when spring arrives.

Think about where you want spring interest most. Front gardens, patio pots, pathways and borders near windows are all good places for early colour.

For a strong display, plant bulbs in groups rather than singly. In containers, you can also create layered bulb displays, sometimes called bulb lasagnes, by planting later-flowering bulbs lower down and earlier, smaller bulbs nearer the top.

Use peat-free compost for containers and make sure pots drain freely, as bulbs can rot if left sitting in waterlogged compost.

A little effort now can create a beautiful welcome after the colder months.

Keep Watering New Plants

Although autumn is approaching, late August and early September can still be warm and dry. Newly planted biennials, perennials, shrubs and container plants need regular watering while they establish.

Water thoroughly after planting and continue checking the soil or compost during dry spells. Early morning is usually the best time to water, with evening as the next-best option when needed.

Good aftercare now will help plants settle in before colder weather arrives.

Visit Carpenders Park Garden Centre for Autumn and Spring Planting

If you are ready to plan ahead, visit Carpenders Park Garden Centre for biennials, spring bulbs, peat-free compost, manure, soil conditioners, bark, mulch, pots, shrubs, perennials and gardening essentials.

Whether you are refreshing containers, improving your soil or planning next spring’s colour, now is the perfect time to get started.

Coming Next Week

Next week in our Monday Garden Guide, we will be looking at Start Planting Bulbs: Easy Spring Colour for Pots and Borders.

We will cover when to plant daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, tulips and alliums, how deep to plant them, and simple ideas for creating beautiful spring displays in containers and garden borders.