In a recent video posted to Instagram, the Princess of Wales, or Kate Middleton, as many know her, spoke in a calming voice that felt perfectly matched to the coziness of the fall season. In the video, aptly titled “Autumn,” her words are soft as rustling leaves, and warm light is shown. It creates a peaceful moment, the kind we look forward to this time of year.
With the grace we all know her for, the Princess focused on the natural rhythms of autumn; letting go, growing deeper roots, and reconnecting to the world around us. This message resonates deeply with everyday people as well as gardeners, especially during a time when the garden itself is quietly shifting, preparing for winter and renewal in the spring.
Inspired by the Princess of Wales's focus on renewal and reflection, we’ve broken down her powerful message into four key tasks for the garden and the mind.
1. Prune Away Spent Summer Blooms
Once the more showy summer blooms have slipped away, it’s time to clear the space and make room for new growth. Remove dead flower heads, faded stems, and leaves that have finished their cycle. By doing this, you help redirect the plant’s energy into healthier roots.
Deadheading is a simple garden task, but it’s a metaphor for what we often need in our own lives: clearing away what’s no longer serving us so we can grow stronger. We flourish when we let go of old habits and worries that drain us, just as a plant thrives when its energy isn’t wasted on dead or fading growth.
Pro tip: Use sharp bypass shears, make clean cuts, and avoid tearing branches to help plants recover quicker in the spring.
2. Collect Fallen Leaves for Mulch and Compost
As the Princess of Wales reminded us, autumn is a time for letting things go. Fortunately, this also leaves you with an abundance of garden material. Collect fallen leaves and lightly shred them up to use as a mulch layer for perennials, shrubs, and vegetable beds.
Leaf mulch has multiple great uses. As the leaves break down, they suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and gradually enrich the soil.
Pro tip: Spread a layer two to three inches thick of shredded leaves in autumn and leave it until spring to protect roots and feed the soil.
3. Plant Bulbs and Hardy Perennials for Spring
While the world above the soil may seem dormant, the roots below the surface are hard at work. Autumn is the ideal time to plant spring-flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and crocus, as well as hardy perennials, so they can establish roots before winter.
How does this show up in our lives? Sometimes, progress isn’t necessarily visible on the surface, and we go through “quiet seasons” where it looks as if nothing is happening. This is when deep, internal work is taking place. While it may look stagnant from the outside, foundation-building is happening; gaining clarity, healing, and learning.
Prune away spent blooms and leave the past behind with these pruning shears.
Spend some quiet contemplation time thinking about next year's garden, or whatever else comes to mind as you journal.
Fallen leaves are everywhere. Scoop them up in one fell swoop with this ready-to-go yard debris bag.
4. Create a "Thankful Corner" or Reflection Space
Inspired by the Princess of Wales’s focus on connection and reflection, carve out a cozy garden nook: a bench or a cleared space on your porch. If it’s too cold for you, try making this space inside with soft blankets and a pot of ornamental grasses or an urn with late-season plants. This will be your autumn sanctuary; a place to pause, breathe, and reflect.
Pro tip: Add a small journal so you can sit with a warm drink and reflect on what you're thankful for this season.
