Overview

• Experts advise planting spring bloomers now, using the rule of placing bulbs at about twice their height in depth.
• Group small bulbs such as snowdrops and crocuses densely, set larger bulbs like daffodils and tulips in looser tufts, and tuck them among perennials.
• Autumn-flowering bulbs should go in by mid-September to deliver late-season color if conditions allow.
• Hedges, shrubs and trees can be planted now, with native species recommended to provide structure and food for birds and insects; allow adequate spacing or stagger rows for free-growing hedges.
• Keep new plantings watered until the first frosts and apply a thin organic mulch to retain moisture; also mow and clear lawns, enrich beds with compost or green manure, and move tender container plants indoors.