PAUL JOHNSON GARDEN DESIGN

November reveals a different side to our gardens. As the leaves fall and branches become bare, the shapes and structure of our outdoor spaces begin to emerge. Ornamental grasses catch the low sunlight, evergreens provide welcome colour, and surprisingly, a few determined perennials are still flowering. It's a lovely time to appreciate the garden for what it is, rather than everything we think it should be. A Little Now, A Lot to Look Forward To November is one of our favourit

There is something about October that always feels like a turning point. The garden begins to slow. Leaves loosen from the trees and drift across the lawn. Greens soften into gold, orange and brown. The air changes too, cooler, quieter, with that unmistakable feeling that the year is beginning to fold in on itself. I have always loved this time of year. It is the season of candles, blankets, fires being lit and hot chocolate held between cold hands. The garden may be preparin

September is a month of gentle change in the garden. The height of summer has passed, but the garden is not finished yet. There is still colour, movement and life to enjoy, especially if we give late-flowering plants a little encouragement. This is the month for noticing what is still working well. Dahlias, cosmos, rudbeckia, asters, roses, sedums and Japanese anemones can all continue to bring beauty into the garden, often just when the light begins to soften and the evening