Prepare now for winter, says expert

Despite the autumn season being upon us, a gardening expert has advised that now is the time to put the work in that will make all the difference next year.

Many may think that autumn and winter is a time for spending indoors, leaving the garden to its own devices but, according to Garden Designers Judy Fenyvesi, the work put in now will save time and money in the long run.

"Autumn is certainly the gardens renewing time, as this is when we should be preparing and improving the soil by digging in lots of organic matter and many of the existing plants in a garden can be transferred and replanted," she writes in her weekly tips blog.

"This is also the prefect time to plant new trees, shrubs and bulbs. Existing lawns can be repaired if parts are worn out and during this time you could be reshaping your lawn for new flower borders or to completely renew and smarten up your garden."

Getting out into the garden and greenhouse while the weather is still relatively fine will allow gardeners to prepare their plants for the colder weather and start planning how they would like their garden to bloom in 2009.