That mini heatwave fooled us all didn’t it? We had started to think about packing away our garden furniture, locking away all our outdoor cushions and candles in the shed and turning off our festoon lights for the last time.
So the last thing we are thinking about is autumn gardening ideas!
But then, Mr Blue Sky decided to return and we all found ourselves (well, maybe not me. Due to our current renovation situation, we have no garden) sitting outside with a G&T and making the most of the late summer sun.
Autumn can be really deceptive. If we’re lucky enough to get an Indian summer, the temperatures can still hit the mid-20s during the day but as soon as the sun sets, those temperatures plummet!
We have a lot of birthdays in September and October in our family, so we still like to entertain and have people over and if I can shove them out in the garden in autumn, I will!
Autumn Gardening Ideas
As the summer season transitions into autumn, it brings with it a unique opportunity to transform your garden with a new array of colours, textures, and plants.
Autumn gardening allows you to embrace the changing season and create a vibrant and inviting outdoor space. Whether you have a small garden, a balcony, or a larger landscape, there are numerous autumn gardening ideas to explore.
The problem is, how do we convince guests, or even ourselves, to go and sit outside when the wood burner and winter TV schedule are tempting us inside? Here are a few autumn gardening ideas to get you started…
1. Make Your Seating Area Inviting
Create lots of cosy seating areas in different parts of your garden in autumn and use what landscape you already have like trees, pergolas, garden walls and sheds!
We tend to put our furniture in the sunniest parts of the garden, but these are often in the most exposed areas. Move your furniture back up against the house or next to your wall or fence to keep you out of those cold-biting winds.
If your garden doesn’t have a covered area, or somewhere to hide from the elements, think about getting furniture with built-in covers, like a garden daybed or swing!
2. Add Some Shelter
Let’s face it, we’re not all going to be sitting out in our gardens when the real winter weather hits, are we?
But what about those evenings when it can’t decide whether to drizzle or stay dry? Adding in an outdoor patio or pergola can make for a great space that will protect you from any kind of weather.
If Instagram is anything to go by, it would seem that most of the UK have added a pergola to their garden, so how about attaching a shade to it?
Or, if you are one of the 7% who decided not to erect a wooden structure in their garden this summer, you can buy a sail shade to put in a corner of your garden.
3. Cosy Up Your Garden Space
You’ve got your seating area set up, now you need to make it a space you (and your guests) can’t resist. I see my garden as an extension of my home and treat it as another living space. I love to have my cushions, throws and even a rug or two!
Not only does it look pretty, but that big knitted throw will work extra hard in your autumn garden to keep you warm.
4. Create Your Own Warmth
Fire pits are huge at the moment and another perfect way to make your garden cosy in the autumn. There are so many to choose from, they can become a lovely focal point to your garden and give it a warm cosy glow.
I always get asked how we stop from smelling like a Guy Fawkes effigy on Bonfire Night when we use our fire pit. I’ll be honest, we don’t! But there are a couple of things we try to do to limit the amount of smoke.
We make sure the fire pit is completely clean when we use it by clearing out the old debris and making sure it is dry. We try to use good quality wood that is also dry and not green (“green” freshly cut wood tends to still hold a lot of moisture so will produce more smoke).
The smoke comes from the chemicals inside the wood, so we also make sure the fire is extremely hot to quickly burn off the chemicals.
If you really don’t fancy the idea of a real fire, there are also great gas alternatives to choose from which still give you the ambience but not the smell!
5. Chim Chiminea
If you still don’t fancy an open fire pit, Chiminea are your friend! They are better at channelling the smoke and are perfect for smaller patio areas.
They can come with rain lids which stop the water from getting in and creating more smoke and a bit like fire pits, they’ve become hugely popular over the last year or two with a huge range to choose from.
6. Patio Heaters
If you want something that gives you instantaneous heat, then patio heaters are your thing. I was quite surprised to find that they are not as expensive as I thought and are a fantastic addition to the garden in autumn.
They can range from £50 all the way up to £300, I guess it just depends on whether you want a statement piece in your fall landscape or something inconspicuous in your garden.
7. Outdoor Fireplaces
The gorgeously rustic garden of Hardcastle Towers! Image credit: @hardcastletowers
Another item in the garden that really seems to have taken off this year is outdoor wood burners! Yep, you heard right. An outdoor wood-burning fireplace for your garden.
A bit like the Chiminea, this is perfect for keeping you warm whilst creating a romantic glow in your garden without choking on thick smoke. Just add an outdoor cinema and some fall garden plants and you will never feel the need to go inside.
8. Table-top Heaters
If you don’t want a large imposing heater in your garden or want to set fire to anything, then a little tabletop gas heater is a perfect autumn gardening idea!
The beauty of these is that many of them are portable so you can move them around the garden easily, or even take them away with you on a camping trip.
I have an outdoor Cosiscoop lantern from geckohomedecor.co.uk and it’s perfect for our needs. It provides a good bit of light in the evening to give our autumn garden a warm cosy glow.
9. Lighting
I think I’ve already muttered several times in the last week; goodness me! Isn’t it getting dark early? Yes, it happens every year and I’m always surprised.
With it now getting darker by 7 pm, we need to start thinking about lighting up our garden in autumn so we can keep using it into the night and what better way to do it than festoon lights?
These have to be one of my favourite garden accessories and do the job of lighting up the garden perfectly, letting you enjoy your fall landscape.
They also give your garden that festival feel, so not only are they hugely practical, they actually MAKE you want to sit out in the garden and enjoy all the prettiness. I wrote about festoon lights (thrilling content, I know!) here.
There are many other ways to light up your autumn garden including lanterns, fairy lights and candles. I wrote about lighting for your garden here.
10. Don’t Neglect Your Garden
And finally, as it says above! Your garden has worked hard for you all spring and summer, don’t turn your back on it now. The summer is the perfect time to start putting all your autumn gardening ideas into practice.
If you keep your garden looking tidy and looked after, you’ll want to spend more time in it. Maybe treat your garden furniture to a fresh lick of paint. Invest in some covers for your table and chairs so that when it does rain heavily, they’re not soaking wet when you do want to use them.
There are plenty of fall garden plants that still flower, so don’t give up hope of adding colour and life to your garden yet!
Flowers like Asters, Sedums and Autumn Crocuses are perfect for this time of year.
Helenium, also called sneezeweed, is a late-season perennial that blooms in autumn. They feature striking, daisy-like flowers in shades of yellow, orange, and red. Heleniums are easy to grow and add a burst of colour to fall landscapes.
So, rounding it all up, it’s basically about keeping warm and cosy, isn’t it? Do you think you’ll keep using your garden in the colder months and use some of these autumn gardening ideas?
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