Autumn is a glorious time of year for gardeners. The excitement grows from the start of September as we know that we are in for a spectacular show. As Albert Camus put it ‘Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower’. So we get the colour, without the sowing, pruning, staking and so on of summer. Fantastic!

As the season transitions, there is a sense of letting go, as the leaves turn from greens to yellows, red and russets. A highlight at the Walled Gardens of Cannington is our magnificent Cercidiphyllum japonicum or the rather more descriptive and pronounceable, Toffee apple tree. It turns a glowing yellow, which on a sunny, blue skied autumn day, fills my heart with joy, whilst also making me hungry! As the leaves fall and rot they release the most delicious burnt caramel scent.

Autumn is a time of harvest, as we prepare for the leaner times of winter. There are nuts and berries to be eaten now as well as literally squirrelled away. All adding to the beauty and culminating in the rich climax of the growing season. It is after all what all this sowing, growing, watering, feeding is all about, so plants can increase their numbers through seeds in their wonderfully varied way. We have a stunning Siebold's crabapple (Malus sieboldii) in the gardens which is dripping with red berries, providing a bountiful feast for our eyes and for many birds and mammals who need to put on a bit of winter fat.

There are other plants still showing their wares at this time of year, the flower show isn’t over yet. Some plants have capitalised on the relatively leaner time of year for flowers, providing essential nectar for bees and other pollinators to feast upon. The vivid blues and pinks of various Aster species and cultivars and the flamboyant oranges and yellow of Helenium, show that nature is making a final stand before the sleepiness of winter sets in. Our Shade Border comes alive with autumn flowering bulbs, such as the deep pink of autumn crocus (Colchium ‘The Giant’) blending with the paler pinks of autumn cyclamen (Cyclamen cilicium). Now of course is the time to be planting bulbs for spring colour, there are an amazing array of daffodils and tulips on offer to suit every taste! Plant yourself a present for the spring, you will be glad of the colour coaxing you out of the winter darkness when the time comes.

Our Dry Garden takes on a new charm at this time of year. The seed heads and structure of grasses such as giant oat grass (Stipa gigantea) and Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder') provide both movement and structure for the informal scheme and for the dew kissed spider’s webs that are a wonderful feature of fresh, clear autumn mornings.

Before you light the fire and nest for the winter, there are a few jobs that you could be getting on with that will mean next growing season will be even bigger and better!

• Take cuttings of tender and semi-hardy plants
• Make a note of gaps in borders or take pictures before you forget
• Leave a patch undisturbed for overwintering wildlife
• Collect seeds
• Lift and divide herbaceous perennials (the plants that will die down over winter)

Autumn is a time symbolic of letting go, taking stock and preparing for the dark winter ahead of us. As we rush around and begin to brace ourselves for the wind and cold, don’t forget to pause and take a look at the finest, most wondrous finale of the year taking place all around you.