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You can't beat the autumn colour of acers, especially Japanese maples. Their bright, burning colours defy the cooling temperatures that have put a chill in the air over recent weeks. But their ephemeral beauty won't last long; a few sharp frosts

We’ve finished clearing out all the summer containers and started replanting them with winter bedding. I really love potting up plants, especially in late-autumn and winter when any dash of colour is welcome in the garden.A trip to our local market

A tree will add height, colour and architectural interest to a garden scheme and, if planted properly, should provide many years of enjoyment. In winter, bare-rooted plants become available - a cheaper alternative to ones in pots. Winter

Find out how to combine annuals and perennials of varying heights in a 'wave' planting, in this practical video guide from Carol Klein.springMore planting advicePlant a bare-root rosePlant a shrubPlant a bare-root treePlant a fig tree

Shrubs and perennials planted permanently in containers need good quality compost if they are to survive for more than a couple of years. The addition of loam-based compost such as John Innes no.3 will retain a good open structure for plant roots

Monty Don and Carol Klein demonstrate how to plant alpine plants through a layer of membrane and gravel, with advice on increasing soil drainage.spring or autumnMore on growing alpinesWatch our video guide to making an alpine pathVideo advice

The autumn colour has been fabulous this year. Just the other weekend, my daughter and I were collecting some beautiful autumn leaves for a large-scale gluing session. It's a shame there have been so few sunny days for the colours to look

.)Malus 'Red Sentinel': one of the finest crab apples with sensational autumn colour and jewelled clusters of small red apples that cling on long after the leaves have fallen. The blossom is a fine pinky reddy white in spring.Acer davidii, the snake bark maple

, gritty compost. They take up to three months to germinate at about 15°C and should be left for a few years before transplanting and growing on.PropagationMore plants to grow for late-summer colourChoose flowers for late-summer colourCombine asters, sedums

for small gardens.Small gardens can only accommodate one or two trees, so it's important to make the right choice. A small tree can provide year-round interest, with spring blossom, summer fruits and autumn colour. Once the leaves have fallen from the tree