Autumn is not the end of the gardening year. It is the beginning of the next one. For trees, shrubs, hedging and many herbaceous perennials, planting during autumn gives the landscape something that spring planting simply cannot replicate: time. Time for roots to settle quietly into the soil. Time for rainfall to penetrate the ground. Time for plants to establish before they are asked to produce leaves, flowers and new growth.

Established gardens gradually accumulate work. Borders become deeper, shrubs outgrow their positions, trees begin to dominate spaces that once felt open, and small maintenance tasks quietly become a significant annual commitment. When this happens, the instinct can be to employ more people, increase gardening hours or simply keep maintaining the garden as it has always been maintained.

A practical guide to the different types of garden lighting, where to use them, and how to keep an existing lighting scheme performing beautifully.

Automation should not, however, mean switching the system on in April and forgetting about it until October. Seasonal adjustment remains important. A system operating during cool, wet weather at the same rate as it does through a July heatwave can waste significant quantities of water and potentially damage plants.

Every newly planted tree, shrub, perennial and hedge must establish a functioning root system within its new soil before it can properly support the growth we see above ground. During this establishment period, water is one of the most important factors determining whether a planting scheme simply survives or develops into the healthy, resilient landscape it was designed to become.

Creating a new garden should be an exciting experience. Whether you are redesigning a small courtyard, restoring an established country garden or transforming an uninspiring outdoor space into somewhere completely personal, there is a great deal to look forward to. However, garden design is also an investment, and occasionally a client may feel that something has not gone quite as expected.