Gardening tips and advice: November 2025

14 November 2025, by Abbie Jones, Landscape Gardener at Furzey Gardens

Last month I talked about October being a time of transition, a bridge between abundance and rest. November carries us further across that bridge. The work becomes gentler, slower and more deliberate. The garden’s energy has turned inward, and so must ours.

Here at Furzey, we continue to learn what it means to care for this place through change – not just the seasonal kind, but the natural ebb and flow of a living landscape. We’re reminded constantly that gardening isn’t just about managing nature, but partnering with it.

With autumn winds sweeping through the trees and showers setting in, more leaves are loosening their grip and beginning to fall. Tree canopies are thinning, and gardens are entering their quieter phase, however the soil within the ground the soil retains a little warmth still. There are plenty of jobs you can get on with in your garden spaces this month:

Gunnera leaves protecting the crown from winter frosts

The leaf fall has peaked, and it’s tempting to reach for the rake everywhere. But at Furzey, we let nature lead the way. In the woodland and informal borders, leaves are part of the natural cycle – feeding the soil, sheltering wildlife, and protecting roots. We only clear them from formal lawns and pathways where they’d smother the grass or make things slippery. If you do gather leaves, heap them into a corner or bin – they’ll slowly transform into beautiful, crumbly leaf mould for next autumn.

With frost whispering at the edges of the garden, November is the perfect time to tuck plants in for their winter rest. Exotics such as gunnera, tree ferns, and banana plants all benefit from a little extra care. At Furzey, we cut back gunnera leaves and lay them over the crown, then add a thick layer of mulch for protection. Tree ferns deserve gentle attention too – carefully stuff the crown with hessian and if you want to tie the fronds together, creating an extra layer of warmth without restricting airflow. Banana plants also appreciate the insulation of hessian, helping them stay cozy until spring arrives.

While much of the garden rests, the soil still holds warmth. This makes now an ideal time to lift and divide overcrowded perennials, relocate plants that have lost their way, or establish new trees and shrubs. At Furzey, we find autumn planting especially successful. Roots settle quietly through the cooler months, often more reliably than in spring, particularly as hotter, drier summers make spring planting more unpredictable. The soil is still easy to work with now, not yet cold, wet or compacted, giving plants the best possible start. It’s also the perfect moment to plant bare-root hedging or shrubs: soak the roots, enrich the planting hole with compost or leaf mould, plant deeply, and stake if needed.

The supported gardening team with learning disabilities have been planting at Furzey this month and Liam says ‘It’s my most favourite part of gardening’. This photograph of Liam captures some of that joy and I think his face speaks volumes about what gardening brings to us all.

Paperbark maple

With leaves gone, the bones of the garden are revealed – the silhouettes of trees, the lines of paths, the rhythm of planting. It’s the perfect moment to assess what works and what doesn’t. If a border looks bare now, that might be a cue to add evergreen structure or winter interest next year. Don’t just think leaves and petals, think about the beautiful array of grasses and the interesting features on trees such as bark texture and colour. At Furzey, we’re noticing how beautifully the bark of our acers and birches glows in the low light – a perfect reminder that beauty doesn’t always need blossom.

With chances of winds and unpredictable weather increasing, now is a good time to prune your roses by about half their size. Prune carefully to reduce wind rock, removing weak or crossing stems and shaping the plant for airflow. Remember – always prune to an outward‑facing bud at a 45‑degree angle, so that any rain droplets will slide off, reducing the chances of disease developing.

As the garden rests, so does our team’s pace. Much of our work this month happens behind the scenes: pruning where needed, re-staking young trees, protecting tender crowns, and planning next year’s displays. There’s a sense of grounding in this kind of work – small actions that promise future abundance.

I hope that you get to enjoy your garden spaces this month, remember: this isn’t an ending – it’s the breath before renewal.

Visitors who wander through Furzey this month will find a different kind of magic – quieter, slower, more intimate. The lake reflects skeletal trees against low skies. Ferns bronze and curl. Grasses shimmer pale gold in the weak sun. The katsuras still release their sweet scent, faint now, but unmistakable. In the woodland glades, the paths are thick with leaves – soft underfoot, earthy and alive. We’ve left them there intentionally, knowing they’ll return to the soil as nourishment.

As I write, Nyssa sinensis is glowing in a glorious red, while the brilliant Enkianthus perulatus catches the eye at the top lawn. Elsewhere, early-flowering camellias are beginning their delicate and abundant display, a soft contrast to the bold yellow blooms of Mahonia, which bursts to life from its spiny evergreen form.

Families can get their Christmas festivities on track with The Furzey Express, a festive craft activity and trail running from Saturday 15 November to Tuesday 23 December. But all is not well on the railway, the Furzey Express has hit a few bumps and lost some precious cargo! Bramble the fox needs help from keen-eyed young explorers to find it. Children will create their very own woodland conductor outfit before setting off on foot to follow the trail and complete fun challenges along the way. Trail costs £7 per child, plus usual garden entrance donation.

The gardens and tea rooms are open 10am – 4pm until 23 December when we will close for a short winter break.

Early flowering camellia

This article originally appeared as the monthly In The Garden column in the Lymington Times, buy the paper on the second Friday of every month to read the next column first.