Wild Bunch column: Autumn garden care

Hi, this is Jill from the Wild Bunch with our latest column.

Last year I scattered lots of nature-friendly seeds in my garden, visualising a colourful sea of bee and insect-friendly flowers come summertime. Disappointingly, many failed to grow. My theory is that they either became food for birds and small mammals during the big freeze last year or failed to germinate. So, this year I sowed some in trays and planted them out when big enough and although it wasn’t quite the sea I had imagined, it was worth it. My garden has been a delight of colour and has provided feasts for insects of all kinds.

Now many of the plants are fading, so I’m saving seeds to sow next year. I’ll probably have enough to share with friends and neighbours, any leftover I’ll donate to Frome Seed Library. It is best to keep seeds in paper like old envelopes or small brown wages envelopes and keep them in a cool dry place. And remember to label them! Some attractive seed heads will stay to give winter interest, they can look lovely after a frost, but mostly for food for the birds. Some seeds will have already scattered where the wind takes them.

As plants wilt and die I’ll be resisting the temptation to tidy up too much. Even dead stems can make safe havens for mini beasts, and as the dying leaves fall to the ground, they provide shelter from the sun and rain. As the nights get longer and colder, plant debris adds a layer of protection to dormant plants and nutrients to the soil. Many insects and insect larvae overwinter in leaf litter and plant stems until the spring sunshine wakes them up, and leaving piles of leaves and plant stalks in quiet corners of the garden will provide shelter for frogs, hedgehogs and small mammals.

The next Wild Bunch meet-up is taking place on Thursday 21st September, it’s all about hedgehog awareness and will take place in person at the town hall with online option. Learn more here: www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/wild-bunch