Now that we are in mid October, and the temperature is getting colder, it’s time to protect the Gunnera that is planted in this border. We started off by removing the large flower spikes, and laid them at the base of the plant. These will decompose into the soil over the winter, with the nutrition going back into the plant.
The flower spikes of Gunnera are magnificent creations of nature, and are simply fascinating to behold. Once the spikes had been removed, we started bending the stems of the enormous leaves; laying them across the area for added winter protection.
We then started applying a thick layer of barley straw, ensuring to pack it around the crown of the plant, and also around the base of all the Ginger Lily stems that are next to it.
It’s really quite a fun and therapeutic gardening task, and we really enjoyed it. The change of seasons has brought lovely cool, fresh temperatures at the moment, which are perfect for autumnal gardening. Come back and see what we are up to next time in the garden.
