For the majority of people who have a garden, autumn is the time when it can start to look untidy as summer plants become faded and past their best and shrubs need a good pruning. If the weather is still dry then it is a good idea to get the jobs done in the garden before the winter arrives when it is harder to motivate ourselves to move outdoors.

The first task is to remove any plants that have died or have become overgrown. It can be tempting to think that perhaps they will come back next year but apart from hardy geraniums the majority of bedding plants will not survive the winter and if they do they will take a long time to flower so be ruthless and clear the pots and beds of any plants that are past their best.

If you want to have some spring flowers now is the time to plant bulbs. Add some new compost to the pots or dig it into the flower beds then plant your selection of bulbs to give a welcome colourful display in spring.

Pruning back shrubs that are looking overgrown can also be a task for this time of the year but if done correctly will result in new healthy growth next spring.