We are getting toward the end of the gardening season, but there is still time to re-do a bed or undertake another garden renewal project. If watered properly, trees, shrubs and perennials will thrive, even when planted in October.

The September/October issue of Northern Gardener includes a great article from Martin Stern of Squire House Gardens on when and how to renew your garden. As Martin explains, there are many reasons for re-doing a garden space. The plants may end up being too big for your space, or maybe your life has changed and the garden is too much work; it might be that the garden has just grown past its prime or that it was never the right choice for the space. Whatever the reason, there are several key steps to undertaking a garden renewal.

Once you’ve made the decision, renewing the garden can include redesigning spaces, removing old or overgrown plantings, pruning, replenishing the soil, re-setting paths and replanting.

Even if you decide not to do the work this fall, be sure to go out and take pictures of the space so you remember what you do and do not like about the area. As Martin says, a good time to make the decision is when “disappointment is fresh in your mind.”

If you put off the renewal until spring, you can use this winter to explore ideas for designing the space. Some of our favorite garden design books include The Five Plant Garden, Beautiful No-Mow Yards and Home Outside: Creating the Landscape You Love.

What are your favorite garden design books?