Plant this The heatwave was perfect for agapanthus, which love a well-drained, sunny spot and flower until the first frosts. Some can suffer in winter, so protect with a deep mulch post-flowering. Violet-blue ‘Northern Star’ is deciduous, but hardier than most; semi-evergreen ‘White Heaven’ produces large flower heads.
Visit this The gardens at Down House, near Sevenoaks in Kent, were Charles Darwin’s outdoor laboratory. Visitors can stroll through the greenhouses where he conducted experiments and take a turn on the “thinking path” walk around the estate. Open daily; details at english-heritage.org.uk/darwin.
Check this Your water butt may have been empty most of the summer, but now is the time to check it is working and flush any debris. Keep the water clean in future by fitting a pair of tights over the downpipe outlet to trap leaves before they enter the tank, or fit a self-cleaning downpipe filter from freeflush.co.uk.
