Autumn
Jobs to get done in the garden this month: what to do in October
Aaron Bertelsen and Benjamin William Pope explain a few key jobs you can do in the garden right now. Illustration Alice Pattullo
Gardens can look great in October – here are the best gardens to visit this month for beautiful autumn blooms
Head gardener Tom Brown recommends gardens and places to see seasonal plants and flowers at their best
The perfect flowers for October
The flowers that are blooming bright this October month are warm and vibrant to help ease the transition to cooler days. Head gardener Tom Brown and nurserywoman Fleur van Zonneveld choose the plants they love. Photographs Jason Ingram and Maayke de Ridder
Save seed from your garden now for free plants next year
Collecting your own seed is satisfying, economical and, because it’s fresh and hyper-local, probably better than any seed you can buy. Plantswoman Derry Watkins shares her secrets
When is the official first day of autumn?
When autumn starts is different depending on whether you follow the astronomical or meteorological approach to the seasons. Here we answer the question what is the first day of autumn in 2025?
Watch: Dan Pearson picks his favourite plants for late summer
A meadow-inspired pot display from Jo Thompson for late-summer
From cool pastels and foliage to hot colours, designer Jo Thompson creates a stylish container combination
Growing and cultivating sanguisorba
With tight, bright burrs on wiry stems, long-flowering sanguisorbas offer a haze of gauzy colour
How to grow Persicaria
Persicaria are versatile perennials with late season, brightly coloured flower spikes on hearty green plants from July through to late October. Plantsman Rory Dusoir shares his advice on how to grow persicaria and where to plant it.
21 brilliant ‘bombproof’ plants: the impossible-to-kill, fuss-free, low-maintenance performers that the experts rely on
Discover the indestructible varieties that designers, head gardeners and flower growers rely on: the top easy-to-grow, long-lived, pest- and disease-free performers for your garden
Gaudy, traditional bedding plants are out - these longer-lasting, wildlife-friendly alternatives are what you need in your garden
Three gardening experts recommend 17 of the best contemporary bedding plants, which pollinators will love, for stunning displays
Perfect prairie-style plants - you need these yellow summer plants in your garden for a naturalistic feel
Vibrant rudbeckias bring bold colour to the garden in late summer and autumn. Here's how to grow them, and the best varieties to choose
Want more dahlias for free? Multiply your flowers fast with this little-known technique
Tim Stretton, head of gardens at Mounton House, explains exactly how to take cuttings from dahlia plants so you can increase the number of dahlias you have in your garden this summer
Slug-proof veg: the ultimate list of 17 vegetables that slugs and snails won’t eat
Struggling with slugs eating your crops? Here are 17 varieties of veg that they won't touch.
These are the flowers you need in your garden this spring, as chosen by expert designer Dan Pearson
With spring firmly in the air, designer and plantsman Dan Pearson chooses his favourite plants from his garden Hillside, in Somerset, that bring him joy in spring
Wondering how best to grow and care for tulips? Our expert guide explains everything you need to know
We break down exactly how and when to plant tulips to make sure your blooms emerge perfect in spring
Think tulips are boring? These incredible species tulips are small but amazing - here's how to grow them
Species tulips are the smaller, more delicate predecessors of modern tulips. Plant expert Jonny Bruce explains how to grow them, and recommends 13 of the best.
21 brilliant bulbs to plant that will give you colour in every season
Garden designer Adam Hunt recommends his favourite bulbs for colour almost all year round.
These plants will make your garden look good all year: 30 plants and flowers for year-round colour and interest
These hard-working plants provide several seasons of interest in your garden through flowers, fruit, foliage, bark and even spring shoots
54 brilliant purple flowers for the garden
Discover 55 of the most beautiful purple flowering plants for the garden, chosen by expert horticulturalists and growers
Feed the birds: these are the best plants for birds that you can have in your garden
Making your garden a safe haven for birds is easy and rewarding says Jane Moore, author of Planting for Garden Birds.
A well-behaved alternative to bamboo, these grass-like evergreens are great year-round
Defying easy categorisation, restios are evergreen plants that offer eye-catching details, attractive stems and grow rapidly in spring
These are the top seed suppliers you need to be buying from for your online seed order this year
If you're looking for inspiration for your next crop of flowers, herbs and vegetables, take a look at our recommended seed suppliers this year
Make your own seed envelope using recycled paper with our handy guide and video
Follow our fold-by-fold guide to making your own origami seed envelope. Then save and collect your own seeds from this year's favourites, or swap with a gardening friend and be ready to sow next spring.