As summer is leaving us, and autumn starts to show us signs of appearing, we must now start to think about a few gardening jobs to do before mother nature goes into her winter slumber - we all need a break!

Head of Gardens and Grounds Team Supervisor, Reiss Phillips has been busy preparing Shiplake's grounds for the upcoming colder months. Here are some top tips for looking after your garden this autumn straight from our in-house expert:

1. Get started on your final hedge trimming, especially Beach, Evergreen, Conifer and Box hedging. Newly planted hedges can have a light trim or can be left completely, depending on growth. 

2. Net ponds before leaf fall gets underway. This is starting to happen already; the Lime trees on the college grounds are already starting to discard leaves!

3. Keep up with watering of new plants, using rain if possible. Even in periods of rain, potted plants and late summer additions to the garden may need some extra attention. 

4. Clean out cold frames and greenhouses so that they are ready for use in the autumn. This also helps to get ahead of the game for next year too. 

5. Cover leafy vegetable crops with bird-proof netting. For those with vegetable green fingers, those friendly pigeons will be eyeing up your greens now that harvest has finished!

6. Now is the time to start planting spring flowering bulbs. Just be aware of the pesky thief, the grey squirrel. They may look cute in the garden but these invaders are definitely not to be trusted. Once they have the scent of the spring bulbs they will not stop until they have dug up and eaten them all. I suggest planting bulbs in medium to large pots, and wire messing the tops until the bulbs are showing leaf through the soil. You can then remove the wire mess. You can wire mess over the top of the ground if planting blubs in the ground, just remember to remove the wire when mowing.

7. Make sure you time the planting of your bulbs right. Spring-flowering bulbs, such as daffodils can be planted in October, so don't stress if you don't get these in by the end of September. Crocus and hyacinths should preferably be planted by the end of September. Plant tulips in November and plant hardy summer-flowering bulbs, such as lilies, alliums and crocosmia, in September and October.

Phew, that seems like plenty to be getting on with for now!

Good luck and happy gardening!

  Written by Reiss Phillips, Head of Gardens