Add some colour to your garden for the autumn winter season. There are some plants that suit the autumn / winter best. These include winter pansies, petunias, primrose, clematis, hardy dahlias, geraniums, wallflowers, and for bulbs, you can plant daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, lilies, gladiolas, and crocus.  

Always use new compost for the best results. Plant your bulbs in groups of five or six so that when the plants grow you get a colourful display. A combination of wallflowers and tulips gives great results. The mild climate and lack of frost on the Costa del Sol means that plants generally survive the winter provided you take care of them.

THRIFTY TIP: If you have roses in your garden, you should prune the rose trees and take cuttings. Dip the cuttings in rooting powder and replant them in the soil. By the following summer your new rose plant should start to flower .

Fruit trees

If you fancy some fruit trees in your garden or on your terrace, you should plant them during October / November. When you buy your fruit tree, check the roots for signs of healthiness. An easy way to check is to tip the tree upside down and look at the roots, if they are brown then the tree or plant is not healthy. A healthy plant or tree should ideally have off white colour roots.

The Costa del Sol, Marbella area has many excellent nurseries for purchasing flowers, trees and bulbs, the local markets are also a good place to buy trees and plants. The La Cala de Mijas market on Wednesdays and Saturdays has a nice selection at reasonable prices.  

Happy gardening! 

About the author. Bhanu Dhanji is a keen amateur gardener with over 40 years experience. If you have any gardening questions please send them to us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with the subject gardening.

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