Spring-flowering bulbs and 'green compost': What experts say you should plant in your garden this October

• October isn’t only a time for making sure sensitive plants survive the winter
• Garden experts say it’s also an ideal time to get planting some kinds of flowers for next spring
• You can also ensure winter and early spring veggies by getting them in the ground now
• If you don’t want to plant crops, you could scatter some low-maintenance seeds that will help wildlife - and your future garden

Autumn may seem like a season of decline. But gardening experts say it’s really a time of preparation – and if you make good use of it, you’ll have even more to enjoy in your garden next spring.

It’s now almost October. Throughout the course of the month, tree branches will start to look a little barer, and northern parts of the UK will soon be getting their first frosts. But while it might be tempting to bundle up inside with a cup of tea, as always there’s plenty of reason to venture outdoors.

Fresh air aside, there’s still plenty to be done in the garden. In its month-by-month guidance, Hillier – one of England’s largest plant nursery and garden centre chains – says that October is the perfect time of year for dividing up mature perennials, building up your compost pile with freshly-fallen leaves, and planning which plants to move or cover before temperatures get too low.

There are still plenty of fruits and vegetables to harvest this month too, with it being on the tailend of probably Britain’s most abundant produce period. But even as you prepare most plants for winter, there are many others that find this time of year ideal for going in the ground.

Here are a few of the flowers, shrubs, and others Hillier recommends planting soon – which will pay off in the year to come:

1. Spring-flowering bulbs

A big part of gardening is “the patient process of growing a plant from seed, bulb or sprout and nurturing it over time”, Hillier’s experts say. While you can buy and plant mature autumn-flowering plants for a brighter garden now, it’s also a good time to plant and establish bulbs that will burst into life next spring.

October is a particularly good month for planting tulips, and all varieties of allium, they continued. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) also recommends planting daffodil, hyacinth, and crocus bulbs in autumn – as well as hardier summer-flowering bulbs like lilies and crocosmia.

2. Small trees and shrubs

Autumn is also the perfect time to plant shrubs, Hillier says, as it gives them plenty of time to get roots out before the next growing major season in the spring to start them out on the right foot. In fact, many nurseries will only sell bare root shrubs at this time of year, they added.

Personalise your daily news with NationalWorld - sign up here.

October is a good time to plant most deciduous trees or shrubs, as well as many evergreens. Bare root shrubs are often cheaper and can be bought in bulk too, which is why the RHS says now is the perfect time to start preparing to create new hedges or rosebeds.

3. Crops that like to overwinter

Hillier says there are a few tasty crops that can be sown as seeds now, and left to grow over the winter. These include broad beans, more hardy pea varieties, garlic, onions and shallots, spring onions, spinach, and winter lettuces – its team recommends trying oriental mustard leaves or ‘winter gem’ lettuce (a type of cos).

4. ‘Green compost’

Finally, if you’re not planning on planting any crops in autumn, you should consider sowing some ‘green manure’ seeds. Hillier says this is an ideal way to give nature a helping hand over the cold season too.

“Plants such as field beans, mustard or a seed mix will add nutrients to your soil for next spring, provide habitat for beneficial insects to overwinter, and help keep down the weeds,” its experts added.

Wondering what else you can do in the garden at this time of year? Here are four flowers in bloom right now you can add to your garden to help wildlife – and here’s everything you need to know about the autumn ‘super food’ to add to your bird feeder.