As summer begins to fade and the days gradually become shorter, autumn is the perfect time to start preparing your garden for the months ahead. After the hot and unusually dry conditions we have experienced this summer, many gardens have had a challenging few months. Lawns may have gone brown, borders may have looked tired and some plants may have struggled to cope with the lack of rainfall. The good news is that, with rainfall returning, many gardens are beginning to recover. Grass is greening up again, plants are putting on fresh growth and the garden is starting to look healthier. But just because everything looks green again doesn't necessarily mean the garden has completely recovered. The effects of a dry summer can continue below the surface, particularly in the soil and around the roots of plants. Autumn gives us an excellent opportunity to help the garden recover, improve the soil and prepare everything for a healthier, more resilient growing season next year. Give Your Garden Time to Recover One of the most important things to remember after a drought is not to immediately try to compensate for the summer by doing too much. If your plants are now green and growing again, that's a very positive sign. Established plants with healthy root systems are often surprisingly resilient, and many will recover naturally once temperatures fall and moisture returns to the soil. Instead of immediately reaching for fertiliser or giving everything a heavy prune, take some time to assess the garden. Look for: Plants that have produced new growth Dead or damaged branches Areas where the soil is particularly dry or compacted Plants that are still showing signs of stress Bare patches in lawns Areas where weeds have taken advantage of weakened plants Newly planted trees and shrubs that may still need additional watering Established trees, shrubs and perennials generally don't need regular watering once they are well established, but newly planted specimens remain more vulnerable and can need attention for considerably longer. The aim this autumn should be to create healthier soil and stronger root systems, rather than simply encouraging lots of soft new growth. Start With the Soil Healthy soil is at the heart of a healthy garden. A prolonged dry spell can leave soil extremely dry and, depending on the type of soil you have, it may also become hard, compacted or difficult for water to penetrate. This is where adding organic matter can make a real difference. Well-rotted garden compost, leaf mould and other suitable organic matter can improve soil structure and help create better conditions for plant roots. For lighter, sandy soils, organic matter can help improve moisture retention. In heavier clay soils, it can improve structure and drainage. Rather than digging everything over unnecessarily, consider where your soil would benefit most and concentrate your efforts there. Adding organic matter to the surface is also a great way of protecting the soil and allowing natural processes to do much of the work over time. Mulching: One of the Best Things You Can Do If there is one autumn garden job worth prioritising, it is mulching. Mulching involves covering the surface of the soil with a layer of material such as: Homemade garden compost Well-rotted manure Leaf mould Composted bark Woodchip Other suitable organic soil improvers A good mulch helps the garden in several ways. It can reduce moisture loss, suppress weeds, improve soil structure, add organic matter and help protect plant roots from temperature extremes. This is particularly valuable after a dry summer. Although your garden may now be green again, the soil can still benefit enormously from having a protective layer over it. How to Apply Mulch Before mulching, remove perennial weeds and make sure the soil isn't excessively dry. If the ground is dry and rainfall has not yet properly replenished it, water thoroughly where necessary. Spread the mulch across the soil surface, ideally to a depth of around 5–7.5cm (2–3 inches) for biodegradable organic mulches. Don't pile mulch directly against the stems of plants or the trunks of trees and shrubs. Leaving a small gap around the base helps prevent problems associated with excess moisture against the stem. For trees and larger shrubs, extending the mulch around the root area can be particularly beneficial. The result is a protective blanket over the soil, helping to retain moisture when conditions are dry while also protecting roots as temperatures fall. Don't Forget Leaf Mould Autumn also brings one of the garden's most useful free resources: fallen leaves. Rather than treating every fallen leaf as garden waste, consider collecting them and creating leaf mould. Leaf mould can eventually be used as a soil conditioner and mulch, helping to improve the structure of the soil and return organic matter to the garden. It is also an excellent way of recycling material that would otherwise be thrown away. You don't necessarily need to clear every leaf from every part of the garden either. Allowing some leaves to remain in suitable borders can provide shelter and habitat for wildlife, while also returning organic matter to the soil. Paths, lawns and areas where leaves could cause problems can still be cleared regularly, but an autumn garden doesn't need to be completely spotless. Give Your Lawn Some Attention Lawns are often one of the most obvious casualties of a dry summer. If your grass has turned brown during the drought but is now becoming green again, that's a good sign. Grass can enter a period of dormancy during dry conditions and recover when moisture returns. Autumn is a good time to help it along. Start by mowing regularly, but avoid cutting the grass excessively short. A slightly longer lawn can help protect the soil and grass plants. If the lawn has become compacted, aerating it can help improve the movement of air, water and nutrients into the soil. You can also overseed particularly thin areas if conditions are suitable. Keep newly seeded areas adequately moist until the grass is established. If your lawn has recovered well, there is no need to try to make it perfect. A healthy, slightly more natural lawn can be better for wildlife and often requires less water and maintenance. For more information on Autumn lawn care pick up one of our leaflets in store! Water Wisely This Autumn It can be tempting to assume that, after a drought, everything needs lots of water. But once regular autumn rainfall arrives, established plants generally shouldn't need constant watering. Instead, concentrate on plants that genuinely need help — particularly newly planted trees and shrubs, plants in containers and anything that is still showing clear signs of drought stress. When watering is necessary, it is generally better to water thoroughly and less frequently rather than giving plants a little water every day. Deep watering encourages roots to grow further into the soil. And don't forget about rainwater. Water butts are an excellent way to collect rainfall from roofs and other hard surfaces, giving you a valuable supply of water for the garden while reducing reliance on mains water. Autumn Is a Great Time to Plant One of the biggest advantages of autumn is that it can be an excellent planting season. The cooler temperatures reduce water loss from plants, while increasingly moist soil gives new plants the opportunity to establish their roots before next summer. This is particularly important after the kind of hot, dry summer we've just experienced. Trees, shrubs, climbers and many hardy perennials can all benefit from being planted in autumn. Establishing a strong root system before the next summer arrives can make plants better equipped to cope with future periods of heat and drought. If you're planning to add new plants to your garden, autumn is therefore well worth considering rather than waiting until spring. Just remember that newly planted specimens still need appropriate care. Autumn planting doesn't mean you can simply put a plant in the ground and forget about it. Don't Over-Fertilise After a stressful summer, it can be tempting to give plants a boost with lots of fertiliser. In many cases, however, this isn't necessary. If the soil is healthy and you've added a good organic mulch, your plants can benefit from the gradual release of nutrients as that material breaks down. Heavy feeding can also encourage lush, soft growth, which can be more vulnerable to dry conditions. Instead, concentrate on improving the soil and giving plants the conditions they need to develop strong roots. Think of autumn as a season for building resilience rather than forcing growth. Clear Away Diseased Plant Material Autumn is also a good opportunity to tidy up the garden. Remove dead, diseased or badly damaged plant material where appropriate. Healthy leaves and plant debris can often be composted, but anything showing signs of serious disease is best dealt with carefully rather than simply adding it to your compost heap. Don't feel that everything needs cutting back, though. Leaving some seed heads and stems standing through winter can provide valuable food and shelter for birds and insects, as well as adding structure to the winter garden. A little selective tidying is often better than completely stripping the garden back. Protect Tender Plants As temperatures begin to fall, keep an eye on plants that may not tolerate frost. Tender plants may need to be moved into a greenhouse, conservatory or sheltered area, while others can be protected in situ with suitable horticultural fleece or mulch. In milder, sheltered parts of the UK, some tender plants can potentially be left in the ground with a substantial layer of mulch, although this depends very much on the plant and the conditions in your garden. It's worth checking individual plants before the first frosts arrive rather than waiting until temperatures suddenly drop. Look After Trees and Shrubs Trees and shrubs are particularly important when thinking about drought resilience. A mature tree or shrub with a well-established root system is generally much better equipped to cope with dry conditions than a newly planted specimen. If you've planted trees or shrubs recently, pay particular attention to them this autumn. Keep the area around the base free from competing grass and weeds, ensure the soil is properly watered when necessary, and apply an appropriate mulch. This gives the plant the best possible conditions to establish its root system before the following summer. Make the Garden More Drought Resilient The drought we've experienced is also a useful reminder that our gardens may need to adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather. That doesn't mean turning your garden into a desert landscape. Instead, think about choosing plants that are well suited to your particular soil and growing conditions. Improving the soil, mulching regularly, harvesting rainwater and choosing plants carefully can all help reduce the amount of additional watering your garden needs. It can also be useful to look at where water tends to collect or disappear from your garden. Does water run straight off a slope? Does a particular border dry out much faster than the rest? Are there areas beneath walls, trees or roof overhangs that receive very little rainfall? Understanding these microclimates can help you put the right plants in the right places. A Simple Autumn Garden Checklist If you're not sure where to start, here's a simple checklist to work through over the coming weeks: ✓ Check plants for signs of drought damage ✓ Give newly planted trees and shrubs extra attention ✓ Improve tired or compacted soil ✓ Add a generous layer of organic mulch ✓ Collect fallen leaves for leaf mould ✓ Remove diseased plant material ✓ Aerate compacted lawns ✓ Overseed thin areas of grass where appropriate ✓ Plant new trees, shrubs and hardy perennials ✓ Protect tender plants before the first frosts ✓ Make use of rainwater wherever possible ✓ Avoid unnecessary watering of established plants ✓ Resist the temptation to over-fertilise Give Your Garden the Best Start for Next Year Autumn isn't simply the season when the garden starts to shut down. It is one of the most important times of year for preparing what comes next. After a challenging summer of heat and drought, your garden may look green again, but now is the time to look beneath the surface and think about the health of your soil and roots. Adding organic matter, applying mulch, planting at the right time, caring for vulnerable plants and making better use of rainwater can all help create a garden that is healthier and more resilient. And perhaps most importantly, don't worry if your garden isn't looking perfect. A garden that has been through a difficult summer and is now recovering is doing exactly what nature intended. Give it the right conditions, protect the soil, support the plants that need it and let autumn do some of the hard work for you. By the time spring arrives, the work you put in now could give your garden a much stronger foundation for the growing season ahead.