Here's what to do in your garden before the new season sets in 

Spring-flowering favourites are still around but winter's nearly here. Peter Dowdall has advice on how to prepare your plot

It's not unusual for a few spring flowers such as magnolias and camellias to emerge out of season during a fine autumn. The cold weather which is sure to come will put them back to sleep once more. Picture: iStock

I was admiring a beautiful tulip-shaped flower on my mother-in-law’s magnolia during the week and I had to pinch myself to remind myself that we are in October and not April. I had a query sent into me on my Facebook page recently too, asking if I could explain why an apple tree was in bloom in someone’s garden.

Quite a few spring-flowering favourites are showing a bloom or two at the moment which is not uncommon during autumns such as this one when the weather is quite bright and sunny.