'Garden Column - October 2008'

Pleaching is the way forward.

Now that autumn has really kicked in it is time to put those new planting plans into practice.
When creating new planting areas such as borders and beds the old gardening laws would suggest to start with the backbone plants like the large shrubs or trees slowly working your way forward to the herbaceous and bedding at the front.
Unfortunately with gardens getting increasingly smaller, following these guidelines can be difficult. Once you�ve planted the larger shrubs you realise that you have no more room left for the smaller ones.
To get round this conundrum the only way forward if you are in this situation is to pleach.
Pleaching is the art of growing plants two-dimensionally against walls, fences and trellis; very similar to how you espalier fruit trees.
This will give you the illusion of the back border allowing more room for planting smaller shrubs and herbaceous.
Before planting make sure you have a frame work to train and sustain your plants. Ideally use screw-in vine eyes and heavy gauge wire and space them between 30-60cm apart up your boundary wall or fence.
Spacing between different plants is easy - one plant every 1.8m and choose a plant with a central upright stem that has various adjacent branches each side of it. This will help with the initial training of the plant.
Allsorts of shrubs can be grown this way � Ceanothus (Californian Lilac), Chaenomeles (Japanese Quince), Cotoneaster, Elaeagnus (Oleaster), Photinia (Chinese Hawthorn) & Pyracantha (Firethorn) just to name a few.
If you feel adventurous then why not try something like a conifer or an ornamental tree � alternatively you could create a productive feature and pleach a wide range of soft and top fruit.

Prune plants to stop the winter rock.

This month in the flower garden is to start preparing the garden for the coming winter months. Plants which now have fully finished flowering like summer flowering shrubs like Buddleja (Butterfly Bush), Lavatera (Tree Mallow), Roses etc. should be trimmed half their height as to stop the winter rock.
If left unattended, the winter month�s strong winds can move the plant so much that their roots can be undermined by compacting the soil around the base of the plant forming a well of water that can set in rot and thus your prize plant collapses.
Some plants like hardy Fuchsia�s will need some protection around the base near the roots. Insulate with bracken, straw, cocoa shell or bark - this will help the plant through the cold winter months.
Herbaceous plants should not be trimmed back until the early spring. The foliage can help protect the crowns of your prize plants but in the coming months once the wintry mornings hit, the dead foliage can add great winter interest with the frost dancing upon it.

Clean up on the rockery.

In the garden this month there are still plenty of jobs to be getting on with. One in particular is to clean and tidy the rockery.
Weeds should be removed manually and leaves from deciduous trees and shrubs should be collected up and placed on the compost heap.
Straggly plants should be trimmed up and tidied. Certain rosette-type plants like Lewsia�s will need their crowns protecting for the wintry rain because if they stay wet they will rot off. Place a small cloche like a small tile of glass raised in wire arms or a small plastic or glass solar bell above the plant.
Top dress with some general purpose fertiliser. Once applied lightly hoe it into the soil and to help aerate the soil.
Re-apply some fresh gravel or chippings to scree areas and fill any gaps have appeared amongst your plants and add some extra spring interest with some dwarf bulbs like tulips, narcissus or crocus.

The never-ending autumnal job.

As leaves fall and sit upon the lawn remove them every two to three days using a special plastic leaf rake. This will remove the leaves and will do less harm to the turf. If the leaves are left too long the grass underneath can soon yellow and weaken.
With a carpet of discarded leaves worm activity will increase causing more unsightly worms casts.
So why are you still reading this? Get out there and arm yourself with a rake and with your trusty wheelbarrow at your side and rake�rake�rake!