British Summer Time has come to an end, here are the

British Summer Time has come to an end which means there is just an average of 9 hours and 45 minutes of sunlight per day. Despite the darker evenings and shorter days, the Forestry Commission says we can expect a colourful season with an extended Autumn.

As Autumn comes, many homeowners will turn their green-fingered talents to tidying up their gardens in preparation for winter. Leading high-street hardware retailer Robert Dyas has created a useful guide on ticking off the Autumn ‘to-do’ list.

Rachel Brain, COO at Robert Dyas said, “We want people to enjoy their outdoor space for as long as possible and be well-prepared for winter and spring. We’ve created a number of easy-to-follow tips for tidying your garden and ensuring homes are secure.”

Robert Dyas’ Autumn To-Dos

Garden

Make sure you rake up any fallen leaves. Leaves when left on a lawn can catch moisture and block light, causing damaging or even killing the grass. By collecting the leaves, and using a garden roller trolley (£26.99), you can add the leaves to a compost heap to encourage the growth of soil-enriching leaf mould. To keep your grass in top shape for spring, make sure you cut it only when needed, but not too short as this encourages moss to spread.

You should always prune and shape your perennial plants, removing stray shoots and dead branches ready for winter. Use secateurs or pruners (£14.99) to cut away the dead foliage.

After you have sorted your plants and tidied up the grass you need to move onto your borders. Pull on a pair of your best gardening gloves (£8.99) and spread a thick layer of compost or manure over your borders. This keeps the plants healthy, and when paired with a trimmed lawn this gives a sharp finish to your garden.