By Kate Mathews of Rooted Gardening York
After a super-heated, super-sunny summer, autumn is knocking on the door. While memories are fresh, this is a fabulous time to reflect on how your garden’s been over the past six months and think ahead to next year. Were you delighted with your summer display, were there a few gaps to fill, or did you feel your garden simply wasn’t working?
Whatever your situation, spending some time planning over the colder months means you’ll be in the perfect position to create a garden you’ll love even more next year. Planting schemes are brilliant on a couple of levels. From an aesthetic point of view, a good scheme will create harmony in your garden and ensure seasonal growth. Financially, they can really help too – having a plan means you’re less likely to spend on impulse purchases which struggle in your garden or don’t go with the rest of your planting. It also means you can buy with confidence, knowing you’re investing in plants which will create a brilliant long-term space.
While the concept of planning may have a whiff of dryness about it, I often find the process ignites a new excitement in clients as they realise what is possible. Then, once the planting is done, they’ll tell me how it’s fundamentally changed how they use their garden – whether that’s unwinding after work or seeing the kids watch the bumblebees.
As with many things, getting started can feel the hardest part. Firstly, don’t feel obliged to tackle your whole garden – maybe focus on one area first – and then there are a couple of approaches you could try. Think about gardens you love to visit and pinpoint why – is it the colours, the texture or the form of the plants? How does the garden make you feel? Serene? Excited? Invigorated? Of course, a straightforward ‘copy and paste’ approach is unlikely to be successful, but it is a brilliant source of inspiration.
Another idea is to look closer to home – your own garden. Planting schemes don’t need to start from a blank canvas – far from it. Take inspiration from the plants that you love, and which love your garden’s conditions, and use them as the linchpin to design the rest of your scheme.
For me, plants will always be the heart of any garden, so spending some time identifying which of the thousands of plants available will really suit your garden and your taste is always time well spent. Doing so will bring you joy for years to come and could even save you money!
Rooted Gardening York is offering a 20% discount on planting plans designed between November 2026 – January 2027. For more details, visit www.rootedgardeningyork.com or email kate@rootedgardeningyork.com.
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