Building a benevolent jigsaw

The Untamed Gardener

Aisling Blackburn

Every season has its beauty and Autumn is no exception. Shades of green and gold, reds and yellows are only part and parcel of what we expect. Polished mahogany chestnuts peep out from their prickly cases, hedges drip with fruits, flowering plants and grasses hang their heavy seedheads, while apples litter the ground with devil-may-care abandon, food for crows. An assortment of leaves, to hide and hibernate in, or scoop up into piles for leaf mould. It’s 12 years since the little oakling was planted, the one grown from acorns gathered in a wildwood in Wicklow, and entered a new wave upon the grass, whose undulating edge wrote new story on the soil, a kind of prodigal DNA. Just as jigsaw piece fits into a puzzle, this tree brings its benevolent influence into the garden space.

What do we do as things quieten down in the wild garden, what is our job? If we are at the development stage, we figure out what time there is to give to this outdoor space, who will benefit from it, and how will they use it. Families will usually need a space for play, camping etc. so at least one area given over to lawn of some kind will be required – it doesn’t have to be a regular lawn, it can be a clover, chamomile, thyme or mixed grass species /wildflower lawn. That area can be left to grow now or maybe one more cut before winter. Fallen leaves can be left in situ or gathered up around their trees to keep pathways and driveways from getting slippery or heaped into piles to decompose and then be used in place of peat when making compost, a slow process, taking up to three years to fully mature.

Bulbs

If you are hoping to start a wildflower meadow from a conventional lawn, there is no need to be cutting and removing any more until possibly June 2026. This is an opportune time to plant spring flowering bulbs for naturalizing. Decide where your mowed pathways will be and plant narcissus and tulips near to that edge. Where the grass is finer and shorter, in dryer areas, plant crocus, grape hyacinth, snowdrops and cyclamen. Scatter the bulbs and just plant them where they fall.

Fritillarias, Camassia and Leucojum are good in damp shade as are the Turk’s Cap Lily if you can find it. Mr Middleton is a good place to look for unusual varieties, though don’t be surprised at the price of a single bulb. As they are expensive, before buying them, check that they are heavy and free from mould. Supermarkets and local garden centres are good for bulk buying. Small bulbs usually produce small flowers so get big ones when you can.

Succession

In the edible areas, plant winter onions and garlic, also ready in June. Plant some under cover and about a month earlier you can have a succession of harvests. If you are like me, you will have a garden full of kale plants by now, I think we are growing approximately five varieties of kale which can be eaten throughout the winter months as well as other winter crops such as leeks and chard, and we still have yet to dig out all the potatoes. There are still oodles of mizuna, rocket and lettuce and watercress are doing well under cover. In general, avoid digging, keep soil covered and sow green manures.

Nature watching

But if you are not growing vegetables or any of that, then there is very little to do until late winter, except a little nature watching, perhaps from a window as I did the other day during the storm.

The poor old birds were flapping about, and a dragonfly came right up to the window.

Aeshna Grandis or the Brown Hawker has no fear - of humans and is hungry as a horse. It’s big too, 7.3 x 10.2cm, it may or may not make it through the winter.

In fact, whether a lot or a few species get as far as springtime, largely depends on humans not doing a lot of stuff.

Like leaving twiggy stems and not tidying up so much, but why?

Because of the small creatures living in them. Bonfires used to be a regular thing but if you do have a fire, build and burn it on the same day if possible. Once a pile of organic matter is left in a garden, for many creatures seeking shelter, it is a home. Crack open any old bit of a seed head, and you will find a creature inside – guaranteed.

Aisling Blackburn is a visual artist and horticulturalist who nurtures the community garden at Jampa Ling in Bawnboy.