More rain this week which will make leaves hang on a little longer before turning into their brilliant Autumn colours, although i must say that the silver birch up our driveway have turned and are falling so the rake is out now, and will remain out for a few months.
I have enjoyed the rain on the compost, it has saved me getting the hose out, I have been turning the heaps to get the moisture well, I am turning the heaps at the moment and feel the heat starting to build up. I try and alternate the dry leaves with grass clippings and horse manure, keeping the moisture up as the piles grows.

Bulbs: are available now and there are so many on offer to brighten up gardens after a dull cold winter. Bulbs are a good investment for a garden because they are not just a oncer, they flower and multiply each year and when you have too many in one spot you can lift a few and start them somewhere else.
Plant where there are gaps around shrubberies or maybe where a shrub or tree has been removed, why not fill the gap with bulbs until the new shrub matures. Along a fence line is a good place for tall bulbs like daffodils and jonquils because they die right down over the summer competing grass and weeds can be sprayed out while they are still down in the ground leaving the ground free for the bulbs to pop up in autumn.
Large gardens can accommodate clumps of bluebells which naturalise well in woodland areas, smaller gardens could control them by planting in a bucket buried in the ground with the bottom cut out, they seed well so heads would need to cut off after they flowered. Lachenalia look wonderful in large clumps as well, they look like small hyacinths and flower for long periods. Bulbs, as with all plants must be suitably located if they are to thrive. Although their requirements vary most prefer a sunny situation which is free draining - however many tolerate partial shade. most bulbs today are sold with a picture and planting instruction on the packet so you cannot go wrong.Tulip bulbs will be in soon to be
planted in May.

I have been planting out seed collected last month, marigold,hollyhock, foxglove, sweet peas, poppy's, sweet William and primula Have a look at what is seeding around your garden and either plantthem now if your garden is in a sheltered area or store in brown paper bags and plant out in the spring.

Keep dead heading dahlias, they will keep flowering until the frost cuts them down.

Take mulch away from iris rhizomes and let them bake in the sun for a while.

Don't be to worried about dead heading roses from now on if you live in a very cold area, the more you take off them now the more new growth you will encourage which may not harden up in time for winter. In warmer coastal gardens roses will keep budding up for a little longer yet.

Good old fashioned geraniums never let you down and always give a wonderful display over summer and autumn. Cuttings can be taken now that the wood has hardened, cut at a nice leafy section along a branch, remove buds and push into fine soil or river sand and leave in a warm spot. once they have sent out root spot them up and nurse them along over winter if you are in a very cold area and you will have nice new bushes for next summer. On the coast they can be planted out in areas protected from frosts.
*Veg & fruit*
My late peach tree is abundant this year and the peaches are sweet and juicy they do not all become ready at once which is helpful but when they are ready they drop to the ground and spoil so need to be picked
daily.
My pumpkins are doing their thing and seem to be growing before my eyes, I will leave them a little longer yet as they were planted late this year, I always wait to plant these when there is no hint of a frost to set them back .When they have grown and are not quite ready to pick when the first frosts come I cover them at night with frost cloth. If the pumpkin sounds hollow when you knock on it and it's stem connection is drying out then it is ready to pick. I sit them in a sunny frost free place for a time before I store them in a cool dry place.

Plant carrots, onions, broad beans, cabbage and spinach (cover cabbage with frost cloth to keep the white butterfly off, remove when it becomes too cold for butterfly.

Cheers, Linda.