Gone are the days when September heralded the start of autumn.  Although the days are beginning to shorten, and the first mists may appear, the gradual effects of climate change have created planting opportunities which can extend the summer season well into September and October.  This gives us the chance to combine vibrant colours which reflect the heat of summer days by brightening our borders with reds, oranges and yellows.  Cannas create an exotic feel to a late summer border with their paddle shaped leaves and gladiolus-like flowers.

Many flowers peak in late-summer including shrubs, climbers and herbaceous perennials.  Containers planted for the summer should still be full of colour and are likely to remain so with a little maintenance now and then.  Keep dead-heading the flowers and move pots filled with tender annuals such as geraniums and verbenas to a position close to a warm wall.  They will flower for several more weeks and extend the summer season.  Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ is a spreading plant which features clumps of strappy leaves and arching stems of bright red trumpet flowers.

Ornamental grasses become a key focus at this time with their finely textured foliage and graceful forms.  As most grasses flower after mid-summer they mix particularly well with late flowering perennials.  As the early summer show fades, the grasses take centre stage with their delicate panicles and translucency.  The seed heads can remain throughout the autumn and winter, adding structure and nourishing wildlife.  Miscanthus forms clumps of arching mid green leaves with upright stems bearing silvery buff flower heads.

Now is the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs in beds, borders and containers.  They can also transform grassy areas of the garden when planted in swathes, creating a sea of spring colour.  It is important that grass planted bulbs must be robust enough to withstand the competition from grass roots and would need to be earlier flowering to allow the grass to be mown from spring onwards.  This gives their leaves time to die down before the grass gets its first cut of the season.  Crocuses are particularly well suited to this type of planting.   Daffodil bulbs should be planted by mid- September, and other bulbs should be planted as they become available. Crocus corms planted in groups in autumn will create drifts of colour at the front of a border or to naturalise in short grass.
 
If you plan to plant trees or shrubs, late September and early October is a good time and evergreens establish particularly well from an autumn planting while the ground is still warm and moist.  Apply a slow release fertiliser to help plants make good root growth before the severe weather sets in, and mulch with 6cm of well rotted compost to retain moisture and discourage weeds.

Hedges need trimming now to keep them looking neat through the autumn and winter.  Most flowering shrubs will benefit from formative pruning once flowering has finished, and by removing any dead, damaged or diseased stems, will keep them in shape, and encourage regeneration of new shoots. 

Lawns need attention all year round, but preparations made now will keep your lawn looking good next year.  Make sure you rake up any fallen leaves to avoid dead patches of grass.  Spike the lawn to relieve areas of compaction after summer use and renovate damaged areas of turf by re-turfing or re-seeding. 

Now is also a good time to consider the wildlife and to make preparations to help them survive the tough months to come.  Position lacewing chambers now and through October.  They prey on whitefly and are a welcome addition to your garden, so encourage them to stay on for the winter.   If seed heads are left undisturbed on herbaceous perennials such as Alliums, Echinacea and Echinops, they will provide food and shelter for a variety of garden visitors, whilst giving structure to the late summer border.