September is nearly upon us, and as the sunshine season starts to pass, the exchange of summer air to autumn months is an especially beautiful one for gardens. You may think that preparing your garden for the cooler months is an easy task, but let us assure you that it can be quite a time-consuming job, requiring planning and hard work. 

A little attention and TLC to your lovely garden before the season cools can make sure it looks gorgeous for the rest of the year, and is the healthiest it can be come next year’s springtime.

We recommend you start to prepare your garden at least six weeks before the change of the season, so here’s a quick to-do list to get your garden in check so you can enjoy it over the winter months. Hint: you might want to purchase a chiminea to keep warm, though!

Feed it green!

The few weeks of the summer/autumn changeover is often the ideal time to sow cool-season grasses such as fescue and rye. This gives them the perfect opportunity to germinate and develop a good root system before freezing temperatures prevent such improvement. 

Contrary to popular belief, autumn is possibly the most vital time for turf growth - due to the ground softness and the autumn moisture which provides ideal growing conditions for sowing green landscapes or re-growing scruffy and bald grassed areas. Apply lawn nourishment regularly and try to keep your lawn well looked after and moisturised throughout the autumn season, making grassed areas easier to maintain throughout the following months.

Keep it landscape!

Now is the time to tidy up your post-summer garden, whether it’s cutting back overgrown tree branches or removing untidy foliage or debris, make sure you clear paths and neaten up garden edges to create an overall striking garden area. Cooler months are great seasons for tree and shrubbery growth, so why not fill up your garden with new plants and various perennials – especially those that can add a little colour to your new wintery wonderland. Add a few cool-season vegetable patches to your garden as well, and grow your own carrots, cabbage, lettuce or turnips etc!

Pot those plants!

Quite often, the container plants are usually the most commonly ignored plants in a garden space. However, there are plenty of things you can do to look after your plants and keep them hale and hearty. For example:

Annuals – these are the plants in your garden that tend to only last a year, but there are plenty of ways to extend their life. For example, take cuttings of various annuals and root them in either water or other potting types.

Hint: remember to trim all but a few top leaves from the stem when re-potting. Keep the pot well moisturised and out of direct sunlight. After a few weeks, the plants should develop a strong set of roots, at which point you can pot them and grow as indoor house plants.

Herbs – Move your more delicate plants indoors. These types of plant will tend to look quite shabby towards the end of summer, so to keep them well-nourished – move them inside where they will receive heat and natural lighting.

Perennials – Consider transplanting perennials from their outdoor containers directly into the garden. Carefully trim roots and top leaves in order to stimulate growth and root system building.

Look after the birds!

Birds do a fantastic job of keeping the insect population in check, which means you don’t have to spray your garden as often in order to control pests, so continue to feed the birds and leave food out so they will visit your garden.

Clean the furniture!

Here at Verdon Grey, we are proud to provide luxury outdoor furniture that lasts no matter what the weather. However, even we agree that the good old British weather can often be a little unpredictable, so here are a few easy maintenance tips to keep your Verdon Grey garden furniture looking beautiful for even longer, especially during the winter months!

Canvas – remove canvas seat covers and bring parasols indoors during autumn and winter. Use a stiff brush to remove dirt from fabrics, and be sure to check the label for cleaning guides as some canvas can be machine washed, although many weatherproofed canvases cannot.

All-weather weaves – our beautiful all-weather weaved furniture pieces are easy to keep clean. Simply wipe down with soapy water, and jet-wash off excess dirt at the start of the season.

Metal furniture – painted furniture should be washed down with water and mild detergent, and then rinsed clean. Frequently cleaning cast-iron furniture can help prevent rust. If you spot any rust spots – sand the area gently and repaint before the metal starts to deteriorate.

Teak furniture – clean twice a year with a brush and specialist teak soap. A high pressure hose can be used at a low speed, although any higher can damage the surface.

Once everything is done - there is nothing left to do but sit back, relax on your luxurious garden furniture and enjoy the last few hours of summer sun with one of these simple yet tasty cocktail recipes. Enjoy!

For further information regarding any of our stylish outdoor furniture ranges, please feel free to contact our friendly team who will be more than willing to answer any questions you may have on 01284 812000, or email us at info@verdongrey.co.uk.