The Garden in September

We have had a wet, wet summer, so gardening this year hasn't been easy. Late summer can be a magical time, when many perennials and grasses come into their own. The picture shows a garden in North Dublin which we designed and planted less than one year ago. The simple planting scheme includes Miscanthus 'Malepartus', Agapanthus 'Purple Cloud' and Crocosmia 'Emily McKenzie', all plants which are looking great at the end of the summer. There is a temptation to start tidying beds at this time of year, but it should be resisted. Don't cut things back too early - there are still a few weeks left, and seed heads can look pretty.  Some plants such as lavender and catmint (Nepeta) can be cut back - if we get a dry spell, there may even be a chance for a second flush of flowers.

However, there is no shortage of things to do in the garden, and one of the most exciting involves thinking about the future: bulbs. Bulbs are an investment in the future. There is no evidence of what you have done until a bleak day in late winter or spring, when they emerge from the ground, signalling the start of another year's growth. Bulbs are on sale from September through to the end of November, and can be planted at any time during this period. However, some varieties sell out fast, so it's advisable to buy early. They can be planted either into an existing flower bed (Tulips are a good example of this), as they will be into this bed above. We love the decadent, elegant varities such as 'Angelique', 'Mount Tacoma' and 'Claudia'. Other bulbs such as Daffodils, Crocuses and Wind anemones, are perfect for 'naturalising' in grass areas or under trees. This means they can be planted in an informal arrangement, best made by throwing them in the air and planting them where they land.

Bamboo: by the end of the summer, many bamboo plants have masses of new shoots at the base, and many side shoots off established shoots. A bamboo can be transformed by a bit of artful grooming, and we do this to any that we look after. The stems can be shown off by removing the majority (70-80%) of the small, new shoots. You can also remove all the small side shoots emerging from the bigger stems (correctly known as "culms") up to a certain height. Doing this gives the plants a much more architectural appearance, and it encourages some stems to grow really sturdy and thick. By and large, bamboo should not be sheared or trimmed, though there are cases where this looks good - ie, in a hedgewhich needs to kept at a certain height.

Pruning: generally, pruning of trees and shrubs is best done in the winter months when there isn't a tangle of leaves to negotiate, and when the the sap is less likely to 'weep' or ooze from the cuts. However, certain plants should be pruned while in leaf, and this includes all fruits which bear stones, such as plums, peaches and cherries. The reason for this is that a bacterial infection known as a canker is present during the winter months, and this can (and often does) enter the plant when pruned at this time of year.

Lawn care: at dyg, we don't believe in spreading 'weed and feed' mixes on lawns. Too much time and energy is put into getting the 'perfect' lawn when in fact a lawn with moss, daisies or clover can be very beautiful. Most 'weeds' in the lawn, such as moss or babies' tears, are natural responses to ttheir growing environment, and it would be better to address this (overhanging branches, poor drainage etc) than to pour on chemicals. There are, however, weeds which even we don't appreciate - at least in a lawn! These include large or course-leaved plants such as dandelion and dock. The best way to tackle these is to spend a few minutes before you cut the grass pulling them out. Don't worry about roots or whether you get every one of them. Simply pull off the leaves and then mow. If this happens on a continual and regular basis, they will wear themselves out through not ever getting a chance to photosynthesize. A feed with New Horizon organic lawn feed will help thicken and encourage the grass. The down side of feeding your lawn in that it then requires more frequent mowing. Continue to mow and water as necessary. Mowing frequency will start to reduce as the days reduce in length and the temperatures start to fall. The following tasks will also improve your lawn without the addition of chemicals:

Aerate the soil if it has been heavily trampled over the summer and then top dress the soil with sand an topsoil mix (such as our rotzone mix or John Innes no 2 compost). Overseed areas of lawn which require it. Trim and repair lawn edges. Carry out lawn repairs including smoothing out bumps and hollows.

Scarify the lawn in late in the month to remove the build up of dead grass / moss etc. The removal of thatch by scarifying helps remove the type of environment that many lawn diseases, such as red thread, enjoy.

Making new beds: in preparation for sowing vegetables next year, this is a good time to start making beds. The easiest way of all is to use the 'lasagne method'. This method relies on various layers of organic matter being piled on on top of the next, in many ways working like a compost heap. In being raised it has the benefit of better drawinage - quite necessary in our land of sodden soil. While there is still plenty of growth in the lawn, you can start with a layer of grass clippings. As though making lasagne, each layer can be divided with sheets of newspaper and cardboard. Other layers can be made of leaves, straw, manure, garden compost from the pile. Other possible layers could be comprised of the cleanings from chicken or rabbit houses and seaweed (if you can get it!).  The important thing is to have a good balance of carboniferous material (ie newspaper, straw, leaves) and nitrogen-rich matter (ie fresh grass clippings, manure or seeweed). This method works very well in a contained environment such as a raised bed made from timber. Alternatively, it can be done with low, sloping mounds. When you have a good number of layers (30 - 45 cms high) it should be covered until spring with black plastic or old carpet - something to keep the keep the worms warm, the light out and the heavy rain from washing it away.

An enclosed lasagna bed wiwth utreated wooded sides. Ideal for the smaller garden.

Two lasagna beds, still in 'manufacture', ideal for the larger garden.