The September Decorative Garden...

September - The Flower Gardener's Diary

September is the time to tidy your garden and to prepare the ground for the up and coming winter months.

September is the time to:

Prepare:

• Clear ground of dying summer bedding plants
• Lift gladioli corms as the flowers die off

Take cuttings of:

• Privet
• Laurel
• Rosemary
• Sage

Sow Seeds Outdoors:

• Calendula
• Nigella
• Gypsophilia
• Eschscholzia

Plant :

• Sweet William
• Canterbury bells
• honesty
• Polyanthus
• Primsroses
• Double daisies
• Forget-me-nots
• Paeonies
• Rhizomateous Iris
• Lilies
• Daffodils

Plant Bulbs:

• Narcissus
• Snowdrops
• Muscari

Prune:

• Rambler roses

Things to do

- Sever rooted layers of border carnations that were pegged down in July, and plant in their new permanent positions

- To take cuttings of evergreen plants such as privet, laurel and rosemary, take a 6 to 9 inch piece of the plant, making sure that it has a "heel" of old wood attached. Strip the bottom few leaves and insert the cutting into a cold frame or under a cloche

- Plant narcisi bulbs as soon as they are purchased, as they do not like to be out of the ground too long

- Plant peonies in full sun, in rich, deep soil

- Watch out for Mildew, especially on roses, delphiniums, chrysanthemums and Michaelmas daisies. Spray with Bordeaux mixture if necessary