Autumn Gardening Jobs: A Gentle Approach for a Bountiful Season

Autumn in Daylesford and across Australia is a season of change—a time to give your garden a final flush before winter while preparing for a winter bounty. As you plan new plantings, harvest the last of summer’s produce, and tidy up your outdoor spaces, consider a gentle approach that respects your garden’s soil structure while boosting its vitality. Drawing on insights from Gardening Australia, Paul West, Milkwood Permaculture, and Deep Green Permaculture, here’s a guide to autumn gardening jobs that boost your garden’s final flush while setting the stage for a winter bounty—all with a light touch.

General Autumn Jobs for a Bountiful Garden

These practices help you enhance your garden’s productivity as autumn unfolds, with methods that minimise disturbance and encourage soil health:

1. Light Clean-Up and Top Dressing

Begin by gently clearing away fallen leaves and plant debris with a gentle rake—no heavy tilling needed. Spread a 5 cm (2‑inch) layer of well‑rotted compost and organic mulch over your beds. This not only retains moisture and regulates temperature but also gradually enriches the soil without disrupting its structure.

2. Direct Sowing of Cool Season Crops

Use your prepared beds to directly sow vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, radishes, and silverbeet. These cool season crops benefit from the nutrient rich top layer and thrive in the mild autumn temperatures.

3. Boosting Brassicas for a Winter Bounty

It’s the perfect time to start brassicas like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. Begin seedlings in your garden and protect young plants with netting to ward off cabbage moths.

4. Refreshing Your Herb Garden

Rejuvenate your herb garden by planting herbs like parsley, coriander and dill. These herbs enjoy the cooler weather, adding fresh, aromatic flavours to your winter dishes.

5. Tool and Irrigation Check

Take a moment to clean, sharpen, and oil your garden tools, and review your irrigation systems. Efficient water delivery is so important as the season shifts, ensuring your garden receives just the right amount of moisture.

6. Sowing a Green Manure Crop

Consider sowing a green manure crop—such as clover or vetch—in your autumn beds. These cover crops naturally fix nitrogen, suppress weeds, and improve soil structure over winter, boosting soil fertility without heavy cultivation. This is a technique I’ve used on poor soils in the past with incredible soil structure building and nourishing effects.

Tasks by Australian Climate Region

Autumn gardening practices can vary across Australia. Below are some tasks for each climate region to help you maximise your garden’s potential while preparing for the winter ahead.

1. Cool Temperate Regions

(e.g. Daylesford, Victoria; Tasmania; parts of NSW)

1. Final Summer Flush Boost

Top dress your beds with compost and mulch to encourage any lingering summer produce—tomatoes, capsicums, and beans—to offer one last burst of flavour before the chill sets in.

2. Brassica Beginnings

Sow brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower, and kale now. Use protective netting over seedlings to prevent cabbage moth damage, ensuring your winter crops develop well.

3. Winter Greens and Root Crops

Direct sow hardy winter greens like spinach and silverbeet alongside root vegetables such as carrots and beetroots. These crops thrive in a nutrient-rich, lightly disturbed soil.

4. Herb and Edible Flower Planting

Refresh your herb garden with parsley, coriander, and dill. Adding edible flowers—like violas or cornflowers—not only attracts beneficial insects but also brightens up your winter salads.

5. Gentle Pruning and Bed Tidy-Up

Trim back overgrown summer perennials and tidy up garden edges. This light maintenance improves airflow and helps plants throw on another flush of foliage and often flowers.

2. Subtropical Regions

(e.g. Coastal Queensland; Northern NSW)

1. Mulching for Moisture Retention

In humid, subtropical climates, mulching will assist to stabilise soil, suppress weeds, and support soil structure after heavy rains. (Thoughts are with our Queensland friends who are batting down their hatches. Let’s hope there’s some gardens left after the deluge!)

2. Sowing Cool-Season Vegetables

Direct sow vegetables like beetroot, lettuce, and radish in your garden beds. These crops adapt well to the milder autumn conditions typical of subtropical regions.

3. Brassicas with a Protective Shield

Start your brassicas for a winter bounty, and cover young seedlings with netting to keep pests at bay.

4. Refreshing Container and Raised Beds

For those working in containers or raised beds, top dress with compost to renew soil fertility while keeping disturbance to a minimum.

5. Herbs and Edible Ornamentals

Enhance your garden with herbs such as basil and coriander, alongside edible ornamentals like calendula, which attract pollinators and beneficial insects.

3. Arid/Mediterranean Regions

(e.g. Parts of South Australia, Western Australia; Inland NSW)

1. Moisture Conservation with Mulch

As the heat lingers but daylight shortens, apply a generous layer of organic mulch (such as straw, pea straw, or lucerne) to regulate soil temperature, reduce evaporation, and suppress weeds. Autumn rains may help settle mulch in, improving soil structure.

2. Planting for the Season

Now is the time to direct sow or transplant hardy cool-season vegetables like carrots, turnips, brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale), beets, and onions. Protect brassicas with netting to deter cabbage moths and ensure strong early growth.

3. Weed Management Before the Rains

Take advantage of any pre-autumn rain by weeding before seeds germinate. A thick layer of mulch will further suppress unwanted growth, conserving soil moisture as temperatures fluctuate.

4. Water-Wise Pruning & Maintenance

Lightly prune heat-stressed perennials and remove dead growth to reduce water loss and allow autumn growth to establish. Hold off on major pruning of frost-sensitive plants until after winter.

5. Microclimates for Resilience

With autumn planting underway, use shade cloth or windbreaks to shelter young greens and protect against drying winds or late-season heatwaves. This ensures strong root establishment before winter.

Overall, these region‑specific tasks are in line with established guidelines and reflect the best practices for boosting your garden’s final flush before winter while preparing for a winter bounty. As always, it’s wise to consider local microclimate variations and specific garden conditions when applying these tasks

As the leaves begin their gentle descent and the air turns crisper, autumn offers a unique opportunity to work with your garden rather than against it. By applying a light touch—minimising disturbance while nurturing growth—you set the stage for a resilient garden and a nourishing winter bounty. Enjoy the process, celebrate the small victories, and savour the seasonal transformation of your outdoor space.

You may want to check out my related content below:

Watering Deeply: The Key to Thriving, Resilient Plants – Watch my Instagram reel for tips on how deep watering helps your plants grow stronger with deeper roots.

Growing Soil: The Foundation to Vibrant Gardens and Nutrient-Dense Plants – Dive into my blog post where I explore how healthy soil is essential for supporting vibrant, thriving plants.

Explore both for a complete guide to creating a garden that flourishes!

Or if you’d like to dive deeper into sustainable gardening practices, join me for a workshop on productive gardening.

Explore my workshops:

~ Garden Design with Natasha Morgan – Craft a garden that balances structure, beauty, and functionality.

~  The Productive Garden with Natasha Morgan – Learn how to grow abundantly, no matter your space.

~ The Wicking Bed Garden with Natasha Morgan – Build a self-watering, water-wise garden for effortless growing.

~ Preserving The Seasons with Natasha Morgan – Capture seasonal flavours with time-honoured preserving techniques.

~ Introduction to Backyard Chicken Keeping with Saffron and Natasha  – Learn how to raise happy, healthy chickens at home.

Natasha xx

For glimpses into workshops, daily life, and my thoughts from Little Cottage on a Hill, you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. And if you’d like a more personal update, subscribe to my Newsletter for a monthly note on what’s growing, what’s inspiring me, and what’s next.

Click the links below to stay connected—I’d love to have you along for the journey.

Your Ultimate Gardening Inspiration Resource – Curated by our community for our community

One of the most wonderful things about gardening is that it’s never a solitary journey. It’s shaped by the wisdom, creativity, and generosity of others—whether it’s a fellow gardener sharing a simple tip that transforms the way we grow, or an inspiring account that sparks new ideas for our own spaces.

I recently invited my community to share their favourite Instagram accounts and other go-to resources for gardening inspiration, and the response was nothing short of magical. The love, knowledge, and passion that poured in from so many of you has created something truly special—a collective resource, built together, to inspire and support every gardener, from beginners to seasoned growers.

This blog is a celebration of that shared wisdom. A gift from our community, for our community. I’m beyond grateful to everyone who contributed, and I hope this becomes a space you return to time and again when you’re looking for fresh ideas, guidance, or simply a little gardening joy.

How to Use This Resource:

Below, you’ll find a curated list of Instagram accounts, websites, and other tools that have been recommended by fellow garden lovers. To make it easy to navigate, I’ve grouped them into themes—from kitchen gardens and edible landscapes to floral artistry, sustainable growing, and beyond.

I invite you to explore, follow, and be inspired—and if you have more to add, I’d love to keep this resource growing! 

Productive Gardens & Kitchen Gardens

(A collection of Instagram accounts focused on growing food, edible landscapes, and self-sufficiency.)

@moonacresfarm_official: A certified organic fruit and vegetable farm in the Southern Highlands of NSW, supplying local farmers' markets and restaurants.

@charles_dowding: A gardener and renowned for promoting the no-dig gardening method, Charles Dowding shares insights on creating productive vegetable gardens with minimal soil disturbance

@huwsgarden: Huw Richards offers practical advice on growing food in small spaces, focusing on organic and sustainable practices.

@thediggersclub: An Australian organisation dedicated to heirloom gardening, providing seeds, plants, and gardening advice to cultivate productive and diverse gardens.

@thelittlegrowers: Focuses on engaging children in gardening, offering resources and inspiration to cultivate young gardeners.

@anya_thegarden_fairy: Is a digital creator powered by ADHD, a speaker, and the author of a Sunday Times Bestseller. She shares practical tips for creating great gardens on a budget, plant propagation techniques, and engaging tutorials

@susienugentg: Shares insights into organic gardening, sustainable practices, and the joys of growing your own food.

Sustainable & Regenerative Growing

(For those passionate about organic practices, permaculture, and working with the land in a thoughtful way.)

@milkwood: Offers DIY guides, courses, and a free online library focused on sustainable living skills, including gardening and food production.

@goryu_japanese_gardens: Showcases authentic Japanese gardens based on nine themed gardens of Japan, promoting sustainable gardening practices.

@yambulla: Is a place where Indigenous and non-Indigenous people are looking for new ways to share the rewards and responsibilities of Caring for Country.

@thethriftygardener: Also known as Millie, she is a gardener, explorer, and doer who makes noise, mostly about plants, and is based on Taungurung country, Australia. She is also a presenter.

@outbackgardens: Cass Hooke offers guidance on building dream gardens, focusing on sustainable practices in the Australian outback.

Seasonal Flowers & Floristry

(Gardeners and florists who celebrate the beauty of seasonal blooms, cut flower gardening, and naturalistic design.)

@microflowerfarm: Specialises in agriculture and flower farming with organic, regenerative practices on small acreage. They promote building cottage gardens instead of lawns and offer dahlia tuber sales and growing classes.

@fleurs_de_lyonville: Located in the Daylesford & Macedon Region, offers organically grown flowers for weddings, eco-friendly funerals, workshops, and more, as well as pottery vases.

Garden Designers & Landscape Architecture

(A collection of visionaries who create breathtaking garden spaces, from small courtyards to vast landscapes.)

@superbloomau: Creative plant practice bringing dynamic living beauty and diversity to gardens and landscapes through planting design and horticulture.

@ladysmith_park_perennials: Is a rural perennial nursery located in Riverina, NSW, offering boutique garden design services and featuring a New Perennial Movement show garden.

@peachy_green_: A landscape architecture studio based in Melbourne, creating lush handcrafted gardens for lovers of green.

@ke_landscape_consultant: Is a passionate #landscapedesign consultant from Melbourne who can design your dream landscape.

@highfield_gardens: Provides garden design inspiration and tips, documenting the transformation of an 8-acre cow paddock into a house and garden.

@hart_vale_gardens: Shares inspiration for creating beauty through gardening, featuring a rural garden with stunning views and luxury accommodation.

@carolynrobinsongardendesign: A garden designer and plantswoman based in Tenterfield, NSW, offering insights into garden design and plant selection.

@t.p_gardens: Specialises in naturalistic garden designs tailored to modern Australian contexts, showcasing various projects and design ideas.

@emmasadiethomson: Focuses on plant styling, landscape design, and connecting people to nature through commercial and residential projects.

@artfulmeadow: A nursery showcasing a blend of gorgeous, unusual, edible and useful plants, focusing on developing meadows, woodlands and forest gardens that are aesthetically pleasing and ecologically beneficial.

@reverie_101garden_: John FitzGibbon & Paul Smith designed and planted a garden for a Masters Thesis in Landscape Art, which was featured on Gardening Australia & The Horti-Culturalists on YouTube in 2022.

@annmaree.winter: Annie, a passionate gardener.

@pietoudolf: Piet Oudolf is a garden designer known for his naturalistic planting style, emphasising the beauty of perennials and grasses.

@adam_hancock: Full-time gardener, Aldgate, wanting projects that connect community to nature through wow-factor gardening and native biodiversity.

@d.rumenos: Together with her husband Matt, they are creating a diverse and resilient garden on a windswept hill in South Western Australia, on Bibbulmun country.

@michaelmccoyongardens: Michael McCoy is a garden designer, writer, and host of ABC TV's Dream Gardens.

@simon_rickard: Simon Rickard is a gardener, plantsman, and baroque bassoonist.

@fishermansbay_garden: Gardener Jill Simpson’s garden near Akaroa, New Zealand, offers beautiful views over the rugged Pacific coastline, changing season by season.

@michaelcookegardendesign: Michael Cooke is an artist, Australian garden designer, and author with a love of design, art, plants, and horses. He lives north of Sydney with a large garden and home studio.

@tomstuartsmith: Renowned landscape architect and garden designer, sharing insights into his projects and design philosophy.

@charlie.harpur: Charlie Harpur is a plantsman, designer, and ecosystem engineer serving as the head gardener.

@ashley_james_gardens: Ashley James is an Australian garden designer blending Arts and Crafts principles with contemporary elements to create harmonious outdoor spaces.

@stem_emmalinebowman: Emmaline Bowman is a landscape architecture designer creating environments with integrity, specialising in zoological and habitat design, and water gardens.

@thestonescentralvictoria: A stunning garden in central Victoria, Australia, that emphasises sustainable and aesthetically pleasing landscaping, featuring dry-stone walls, local plants, and thoughtful design.

@kmldesign_gardens: Kathleen Murphy Landscape Design specialises in garden design for homeowners, with over 600 gardens created. She also offers online courses for DIY garden planning.

@brockstar64: Fiona Brockhoff is a landscape designer, family woman, and nature lover who gardens on Boon Wurrung and Bunurong land. She is a hiker, recycler, skier, and passionate about working with nature, as well as events.

@phillip_withers: Phillip Withers is a designer running a landscape architecture and horticulture studio in Melbourne.

@phillip_johnson_landscapes: Phillip Johnson Landscapes is a multi-award-winning landscape design and build company, specialising in billabongs, natural pools, and creating sustainable habitats, always working with nature, not against it.

@thehabitatguru: AB Bishop is a habitat-focused gardener, best-selling author, and a horticulture editor at Gardening Australia. She is also the host of the 3CR Gardening Show and a presenter at ABC Radio, based on Wurundjeri Country.

@christian_douglas_design: Christian Douglas Design is an architectural design studio, award-winning for its "Food Forward" design approach. Christian is also the founder of @thebackyardfarmco and the author of The Food Forward Garden.

@boatsend_garden: Sarah Budarick is a mad gardener creating a garden on a windy hillside in South Australia, alongside the resident kangaroos and rabbits. She is also a besotted grandmother of 6.

@thegardencurator: Colleen Southwell, known as The Garden Curator, is an artist and garden maker offering workshops and insights into garden design.

@bluehouse_amberley: Jenny Cooper is a gardener with a love for all things plantish. She experiments in dry gardening and is friends with mycorrhizae. The garden is an open garden in North Canterbury, New Zealand.

@brentonrobertsgardendesigns: Brenton Roberts is a designer working to transform 5 acres in the Adelaide Hills into lush gardens.

@gardeningwithangus: Angus Stewart is an award-winning horticulturist, former presenter on Gardening Australia, author, broadcaster, and plant breeder.

@ralphbristow_artist: Ralph Bristow lives in Barwite, North East Victoria, Australia. He is a painter, gardener, and painter with plants, offering garden design services and paintings.

@terrywinters9141: Terry Winters shares the day-to-day story of a garden. He was awarded the RHS ‘My Chelsea Garden’ Gold Medal (Back Garden) in a competition held in conjunction with BBC’s The One Show.

@highcroft.garden: Highcroft Garden, located in the Adelaide Hills, features 2 acres of country garden, offering workshops and events.

@saintremystudio: Saint Remy is a landscape design studio, creating gardens that make your heart sing.

@platylobium: Platylobium is a landscape company, with a design philosophy centred on creating functional landscapes that integrate design elements with the existing natural environment.

@oceanroadlandscaping: Ocean Road Landscaping creates beautiful and environmentally friendly gardens by the sea, in the country, and in town. They build locally and design anywhere.

@le_sac_: Offers garden tool belts designed for gardeners and beyond, emphasising the connection between gardening and culinary pursuits.

@trishadixonburkitt: Trisha (Dixon) Burkitt is a visual artist, writer, and photographer who lives life to the full. She occasionally leaves the road less travelled to lead landscape literary and cycling tours.

Chefs & Food Creators Focused on Garden-to-Plate

(For those who find joy in turning their harvest into something delicious, these accounts bridge the gap between growing and cooking.)

@glenmorehouse: Mickey Robertson enjoys idyllic days in the country, where she invites others to learn, dream, eat, and be inspired.

@babbingtonpark: Babbington Park is a farm and home to chef Annie Smiths and her wife Susan on 23 acres, featuring a restored chapel, a spring-fed lake, an 1880’s shearing shed, and the @du_fermier restaurant garden.

Let’s Keep This Growing! 

This list is just the beginning. There are always more inspiring voices, more gardeners with wisdom to share, and more ways to learn from each other. If you have a favourite account, website, or resource that isn’t listed here, please share it in the comments! I’ll continue updating this post so it remains a living, evolving source of inspiration for us all.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed—this is the true magic of community, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be on this journey with you. 

I’ve shared some of my favourite insights over the past year, like Supporting Local Eco-Friendly Businesses on Facebook, The Hands That Grow and Cook: A Visit to Bar Midland’s Productive Garden on Instagram, and The Beauty of Diverse Productive Gardens on Pinterest. Each post has brought new ideas and connections to our wonderful community.

If you’ve enjoyed these, I’d love for you to join me in person at my upcoming workshops! It’s a chance for us to meet face-to-face, share stories, and dig deeper into all things sustainable gardening and community.

Can’t wait to meet you all and explore together—see you there!

Happy growing,

Natasha xx

For glimpses into workshops, daily life, and my thoughts from Little Cottage on a Hill, you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. And if you’d like a more personal update, subscribe to my Newsletter for a monthly note on what’s growing, what’s inspiring me, and what’s next.

Click the links below to stay connected—I’d love to have you along for the journey.

I’m Writing a Book – And I Want You to Come on the Journey With Me

For years, people have asked me: When are you going to write a book?

The truth is, I always knew I would – but I also knew it had to be at the right time, for the right reasons, and with the right people. That time is now.

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve signed a publishing deal with Murdoch Books, working with the brilliant Jane Willson, to bring this book to life. It’s a project that draws on everything I’ve learned—from my years in landscape architecture, to creating Oak & Monkey Puzzle, to embracing the deeply personal and intentional life I now live at Little Cottage On A Hill.

It will be a book about gardens, but not just any gardens. It will explore the intersection of beauty and abundance, of design and productivity. It’s a culmination of my expertise as a landscape architect and lifelong gardener, bringing together the art and science of making a garden that works hard, nourishes deeply, and feels like an experience.

What Can You Expect?

I’ll be sharing glimpses behind the scenes—from the creative process to the unexpected challenges, the triumphs, the slow revelations, and the deeply personal moments that will shape the book. There will be conversations, reflections, and invitations to be part of this in ways I haven’t done before.

I have until August to write the book, and it will be released around September 2026 (books take time!). But this isn’t something I want to do in isolation—I want it to feel like something we’re creating together.

So, let’s begin. I’d love to hear from you—what would you want to see in a book from me? What are the questions you’d love answered? Share your thoughts in the comments, via email, or over on Instagram.

This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to take you along for the ride.

As I step into writing this book, you might enjoy these stories—whether to get to know me better or to spark ideas on what you'd love to see in my writing:

Living Well Spotlight: My Bucket List – A glimpse into the experiences that shape how I live and create.
Connecting with Nature for Creative Self-Care – How the garden and landscape feed my creativity and sense of purpose.
Discover the Story Behind the Natasha Morgan Brand – The journey that brought me here and the values that guide my work.

Or, if you're looking for something more hands-on, you might love our newest e-book: Introduction to Backyard Chicken Keeping—a practical guide to starting your own flock.

And if you’d rather learn alongside me, you can explore my upcoming workshops here: https://www.natashamorgan.com.au/shop

I’d love to hear what resonates with you—let’s continue the conversation!

Natasha xx

For glimpses into workshops, daily life, and my thoughts from Little Cottage on a Hill, you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. And if you’d like a more personal update, subscribe to my Newsletter for a monthly note on what’s growing, what’s inspiring me, and what’s next.

Click the links below to stay connected—I’d love to have you along for the journey.