6 autumn gardening tips for beautiful backyard landscapes

When the leaves begin turning warm shades of red and yellow, and the mornings have a chill that makes it that little bit harder to get out of bed, you know autumn has officially arrived. As you welcome the new fall season, you might start wondering: “what chores should I be ticking off around the home?”. If so, we have you covered with this list of autumn garden ideas and tips that will keep your garden design looking its best all year round.

Autumn is the perfect time to assess your landscape design and get your garden in shape for the rest of the year. Now’s the time to harvest your summer crop, prune your trees, and prepare your soil to keep your garden healthy and ensure your plants survive the cooler winter months. So grab your hedge-trimmers, a spade and a wheelbarrow and take some time to appreciate autumn in all its beauty.

Image source: Wisdom Pools and Landscapes. Pool and landscaping design on display at HomeWorld Box Hill.

1. Prune your trees and trim your hedges

As winter approaches, it’s increasingly important to prune your trees and trim your hedges as part of your autumn garden maintenance. This helps your garden survive throughout the cooler months ahead and promotes a healthy regrowth of flowers and fruit in spring.

2. Prepare the soil with fertiliser and mulch

As your garden rests over autumn, restore and replenish the soil with compost, mulch, and organic, well-balanced fertiliser.

Fertilising your flower garden, trees, and shrubs gives them the best chance for regrowth by encouraging plant cells to thicken, improving water and nutrient retention, and increasing resilience to infections as temperatures drop and moisture lingers in the air.

To keep your garden design green and healthy throughout the year, add a generous layer of mulch to your autumn garden care routine. Adding mulch helps retain moisture (it’s fantastic for taking advantage of the increased winter rainfall) while protecting each plant’s surface roots against the cooler winter weather.

As a bonus, mulch breaks down over time to supply your garden with vital, invigorating nutrients.

3. Plant fruit, vegetables and bulbs

Autumn is a wonderful time of year to plant citrus trees and cool-season vegetables (such as broccoli, spinach, and lettuce). When planted during autumn, new plants develop strong root growth and have a few months to become established correctly in time for spring.

If you want to add a splash of colour to your garden design when spring arrives, plant flower bulbs during autumn. Plan your flower garden by planting bulbs - such as daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and Japanese anemones - in a sunny space with well-drained soil for a breathtaking display.

To see the best results for new trees and shrubs, make sure you prepare your soil and add nutrient-rich plant food.

4. Prepare your lawn

Early autumn is the perfect time of year to make a few improvements to your lawn so it can survive the cooler months. Start by getting weeds under control, then feed your lawn with slow-release lawn food to develop a robust root system and promote healthy green growth before the winter weather arrives.

If your current lawn (or possibly lack of) is looking a little weary, remove stones and weeds and sow new seeds in autumn; you’ll end up with lush, green grass just in time for winter.

5. Harvest edible summer plants

Now’s the perfect time to harvest the last of your edible summer plants and make way for new fruits, vegetables and herbs that thrive during the cooler months. Have an end-of-summer garden party to use up excess fruit and vegetables, turn them into preserves, or give them away to friends and family.

Most fruits and vegetables will continue to ripen once they’ve been picked, so don’t worry too much if your harvest doesn’t seem ready yet. Sun-loving herbs produce seeds that can be picked and stored for next year too!

6. Clean up fallen leaves

Autumn’s changing colours make it a beautiful time of year, but falling leaves can leave your garden in a state of disrepair.

Effortlessly keep your autumn garden healthy and well-kept by regularly cleaning up fallen leaves. If left, fallen leaves can smother budding plants and grass, leaving them unable to grow properly because of the restricted sunlight.

As you clean, transfer the leaves to a compost bin or use them as mulch in garden beds. Decaying leaf mould is nutrient-rich and tremendously beneficial to garden soil, so don’t let it go to waste!

For more information on autumn garden care and maintenance - or even just a general chat on what you’re looking for in a backyard landscape - contact our friendly team at Wisdom Pools & Landscapes. We’re always happy to help!