October is a time of garden transition. Summer ends and fall begins. Toward the middle of the month, when the air cools and the soil is still warm, it’s time to plant!

Despite October bringing with it shorter days and a chill in the air, all is not lost when it comes to our gardens. From pruning roses to planting clematis, in many ways, the hard work is only just beginning.

You can deadhead your irises, and prune back your peonies, as well as any other spent flowers. I prune my artichokes down to a foot at this point. Cut and take away any seed heads you don’t want seeding themselves (like foxglove,