Cut herbaceous perennials down to ground level when they have gone over, but leave any decent seed heads over winter for wildlife. Split and divide any overgrown clumps. Replace summer bedding with some bedding plants and bulbs that will give pockets of colour over the winter (primroses, violas, spring bulbs).
If you are planning to plants some new trees and shrubs in your garden, think about having some native species. Autumn is a good time to plant them. Cut back buddleias and shrubby mallows by about half their height to prevent wind rock over winter.
Remove netting from fruit cages to stop leaves collecting on them and to allow wildlife in to feed on any pests that are overwintering in there.
Leave some wind fall apples for birds and wasps to feed on. Sweet peas can be sown under glass now and will then flower earlier next year than spring sown seed.
Plant garlic, autumn onion sets and broad beans (such as Aquadulce Claudia or Meteor) now. Give lawns an autumn weed, feed and mosskill, and scarify if necessary. Clear fallen leaves off lawns regularly. You can still lay new lawns this month, if the weather stays warm. Wildflower meadows can be given a final cut this month.
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