Autumn; the season when the daylight becomes shorter, the evenings cooler and we’re treated to nature’s glorious show of colour. Well, generally that’s the case! Yes of course the daylight has shortened, but having just returned from a London trip experiencing temperatures nearing 30 degrees whilst the people of Scotland have battled large scale flooding you do really get a sense of just how much our climate and seasons have changed. Crocuses blooming in October are not really something you expect to see.
A late autumn sees us still surrounded by much greenery. I’m told that due to our cool wet August when it does fully arrive we’re going to be treated to some spectacular colour changes.
At RSPB Fairburn Ings the raised vegetable plot has been a great success this year; we’re now harvesting courgettes, onions and beetroot. The squashes are in full flower, promising a bountiful harvest in the coming weeks. You really don’t need a large space to be able to grow and enjoy eating fresh produce.
The wildlife garden at RSPB St Aidan’s continues to develop; we’ve seen some lovely colour in there this year, it’s been full of insects and birds. Our friend Peter Rabbit and his chums now appear to have chosen to dine out elsewhere!
The Aire Valley Gardening Team have now turned our thoughts to plans for next year; Perennials are being divided, seeds collected and spring bulbs planted, the most cost effective way to enhance next year’s show.
Very soon the clocks will change, the days will be much shorter and the garden will feel a very different place. Nature is preparing itself to survive the coming winter and we can all play a part in helping it.
Gardens can begin to look a little tatty at this time of year. Try to resist the temptation to be too tidy, what seems like an unkempt corner to us, could be a lifeline to many species.
Fallen leaves raked into a pile provide shelter for many creatures. Dead plant stems provide homes for over wintering insects, eggs and caterpillars and seed heads are a great food source for birds.
When you’re pruning, create a simple log pile to provide more homes for wildlife
https://www.rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/what-you-can-do/activities/create-a-log-pile-for-wildlife
And if you can bear to leave fallen fruit where it lands, small invertebrates and mammals will thank you for this bounty.
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Writing: Jackie Pilcher
Photos: Jackie Pilcher, Janine Brown-Jones