Ever darkening days, wet and stormy weather, trees shedding their remaining leaves ... but even now there is an array of colour.

Flowers

• Conditions on mild days are still ideal for planting:
  - Later flowering spring bulbs such as Lilies and Tulips
  - Bare-root or root balled trees, shrubs and Roses
  - New hedges i.e. Beech, Hawthorn, Privet, Laurel
  - Dig up and divide established plants which are now overcrowded and re-plant
  - Pansies, primulas and other winter/ spring bedding plants
• Prune back Roses and tidy up deciduous shrubs. Both may need a further prune in February/March

Fruit

• Harvest and store late varieties of Apples and Pears
• Plant new fruit trees and bushes once the ground has been dug over and manured
• Prune Apple and Pear trees
• Once all leaves have dropped apply a "winter wash" to control pests. We recommend 'Mortegg' which is available at all of our Centres
• Raspberry Canes are available for planting now

Vegetables

• Dig over vacant ground and work in well rotted manure or compost
• Order seed catalogues
• Protect cauliflower curds by bending a few leaves over the centre
• If storing vegetables make sure that they are well spaced and dry, and if any are rotting throw them away
• Leeks and parsnips may be left in the ground until required for use

Lawns 

• There is still time to apply an autumn lawn food and mosskiller
• Spike badly drained lawns to improve drainage and if not carried out previously scarify to remove dead grass
• Depending on the season and location it may still be necessary to give the lawn a final cut. If so do it on a high blade setting
• If conditions permit (not too wet or too cold) turfing can still be carried out

Greenhouse

• Water carefully to avoid leaf splash
• Control pests and diseases encouraged by warm, damp conditions
• Ventilate when possible to improve air circulation and control humidity
• Grow plants such as Chrysanthemums, Cyclamen, Azaleas, Poinsettias to provide colour in the house
• Make sure heating system is working efficiently as it will be required more and more as winter continues 

General Tasks

• Continue to rake up leaves from beds, borders and out of the pond, and stack them to compost
• Provide food and water for garden birds
• Protect tender plants which cannot be moved by insulating them with straw, bracken etc.
• Drain stone fountains etc. so that freezing conditions are less likely to damage them, and service electrical pumps

Plants which are at their best in November 

• Thuja 'Rheingold'    
• Skimmia japonica 'Rubella' 
• Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn'    
• Viburnum tinus and varieties
• Cornus (Dogwood)    
• Ilex aquifolium (Holly)
• Cortaderia selloana (Pampas Grass)   
• Jasminum nudiflorum (Winter Jasmine) 
• Mahonia (early flowering varieties)    
• Aucuba japonica (Spotted Laurel)  

See our Plant Finder for useful advice and information on these and other plants.