As summer’s colours fade and days shorten, it’s easy to miss the bright borders in your garden. October is ideal for adding colour back with winter-flowering pansies. These tough plants keep your garden lively through the cold months and often bloom into spring.

Planting pansies in October lets them establish roots before winter. This preparation ensures they’re strong enough to withstand frost and snow, blooming again during milder spells. They thrive in well-drained soil and need plenty of winter sunlight. If your borders look bare, pansies fill gaps with cheerful blooms.

Planting pansies is straightforward. Weed your border and enrich the soil with compost or well-rotted manure for nutrients. Dig a hole for each plant, large enough for the root ball. Gently remove the pansy, loosen its roots, and set it in the hole. Backfill with soil, firm it gently, and water well to help them settle.

Pansies are incredibly versatile and can be planted in various ways to maximise their impact. Mass plant them for a carpet of colour, mix different shades for a vibrant tapestry, or use them to underplant taller, dormant shrubs. They also look fantastic in containers and hanging baskets, bringing their bright blooms closer to eye level. Regular deadheading will encourage more flowers, though even without it, they’ll put on a stellar show.

So, don’t let your garden fall into a winter slumber. Embrace the opportunity to create a stunning display that will lift your spirits and welcome visitors with open arms throughout the colder months. A little effort now in October will reward you with months of beautiful, resilient colour from these wonderful winter-flowering pansies.