It’s usually when spring arrives that we feel the rush to plant in our gardens, inspired by the new growth and colourful blooms that are bursting open everywhere.

The thing is though, these lush plants are looking gorgeous not because they’ve just been put in the ground, but because they are established and as eager as you are to get into the swing of spring.

The secret then to a gorgeous spring garden isn’t a planting frenzy in early spring, but right now!

Autumn weather is perfect for gardens to be planted. It can be difficult for plants to adjust to a new garden bed, and autumn offers the ideal temperature – not too hot like summer, not too cool like winter – to reduce the risk of transplant shock. What’s more, there are still several months ahead of great growing weather, which gives your new plants time to establish before spring. So while it may not look like much is happening for a newly bedded plant, all of the activity is going on below the surface as the root system gets settled and expands. This means that, come spring, the plant has great access to water and nutrients and is feeling secure in its new position – ready to make the most of the spring sunshine as soon as the weather starts to warm up!

To really see the best results with your plants, it’s important to prepare the soil properly. Add gypsum to clay soil to help improve its structure, and no matter your soil type you’ll need to regularly add organic matter. This might be manure (ensure it’s fully composted so that you don’t burn the roots), pelletised fertiliser or compost. This will add nutrients back into your soil and feed your soil microorganisms. It’s these microorganisms that do the hard work and will ensure that your soil structure has a good balance of water retention and drainage, and let plants thrive.

So take the time now to think about what you’d like to add to your garden, and get planting this autumn for your best spring garden ever!