A messy garden is not a bad thing, but do tidy up diseased foliage

I’m all for not having the garden looking perfect or manicured at this time of the year. I’m quite happy to let leaves and twigs fall on the beds and decompose. 

That’s the natural way, it gives the worms and other beneficial little garden helpers something to munch on and creates valuable humus for the soil, an essential ingredient for healthy plants.

The leaves can also provide something of a duvet for plant roots, protecting them from the harshest of the frosts over the winter months.