As the garden winds down now is a good time to think about next year. Taking photographs of the garden can help to remind you in the winter months what was floweringwhen, and  where, and next  to which plant, to decide if a plant is in the wrong place or needs another companion. It isn't the case that plants get planted only once; in the Sunday Garden some plants get move several times trying to get the balance right, which is not easy.

Enthusiasm runs away and plants get put into the border, sometimes forgetting what may surround them. If its in the wrong place move it. There are some plants that dislike being moved, such as Paeony, and well established shrubs may resent it but many plants can be easily moved before they become too mature. Now is a good time to move plants before the winter or in the early spring if the ground is  not frozen.  You can re design your garden and don't be afraid to move things around.  If a much loved plant has become overgrown, or leggy or lost its vigour, you can consider pruning to rejuvenate but its going to take time; maybe now is the time to compost it and get another.

Some plants are quite short lived and can become leggy and less attractive, Lavender is just such a plant lasting up to 10 years in the best growing conditions but it can look woody, get extensive winter die back in a bad winter and often its best to replace. Obviously buying new plants is one option, but as the garden matures, taking from cuttings is a good ideas as lavender root really well and these plants can be grow on as replacements .

As the annual plant catalogues arrive now is  a good time to sit back and reflect;  and plan next years changes, and challenges.