As the summer heat winds down it is time to review how the garden looks and reflect on the year to date.

Invariably, there will be successes and some failures; now is a good time to note them for change during the cooler months.

With heat and rain comes growth and problems with pests and diseases as well as wind and salt damage caused by storms. Moving into the cooler months creates an opportunity to prepare for autumn while rectifying any problems initiated over the summer.

With excessive growth comes the need to prune for the months ahead. Reducing the weight of branch growth allows strong winds to filter through the plants with reduced potential damage. Prune with future growth in mind and make cuts to outward facing buds. This will allow light into the centre of the plant, which in turn encourages growth. Remove damaged and crossing branches while checking for pest and disease problems, which should be dealt with as soon as possible when the weather is accommodating.

Note plants that have not produced well and determine the reason then act accordingly. Should the plant's location be the problem, if it is healthy it is a simple exercise to lift and relocate. Otherwise, remove and consider a replacement. When replacing, consider the existing plant types and select based on what fits in with the present foundation plantings.

To enhance beds, seek plants that will further the interest in the bed and add dimension to the totality of the area. This can be by extending interest level of flowering, seed and/or fruit production or leaf shape and colour.

Shrubs with a long flowering habit include Jatropha hastata (Peregrina); Thryallis glauca (cloth of gold); Plumbago capensis (blue and white Plumbago); Malvaviscus arboreus (Scotchman’s purse); Hibiscus vars; Cryptostegia madagascariensis (rubber vine); Codiaeum vars (croton); Tecomaria capensis (cape honeysuckle).

Ground covers: Senecio confusus (Mexican flame vine); Lantana vars (in many colours, prune hard back after flowering); Trachelospermum asiaticicum (Asiatic jasmine, a vine or ground cover); Pentaslanceolata (Pentas); Senecio macroglossus (wax ivy); Setcreasia purpurea (purple heart); Rosmarinus officinalis prostrates (creeping rosemary).

Herbaceous/Bulbs etc: Dianella tasmanica variegata (variegated New Zealand flax); Agapanthus Africanus (lily of the Nile); Cyperus alternifolia (umbrella papyrus); Ophiopogon planiscapus (black mundo grass); Hedychium gardnerianum (Kahili ginger); Alpinia zerumbet variegate (shell ginger).

When selecting material at your plant nursery, check the root system against the size of the plant in its container. “Big” plants in small containers could indicate the root system is pot-bound and could well struggle to create a good root zone once planted.

Summer lawn grasses will start slowing down as temperatures decrease. With the onset of cool season weeds start to show. It is wise to eradicate the new weed growth and existing summer weed growth as soon as possible. With ephemeral weeds, seed production can be prolific and dispersal of the seed creates problems for the future.

October is a good time to fertilise flower beds and lawns as with the lush growth and rainfall of summer, plant nutrients will be depleted. Apply fertiliser to flower beds with a lower nitrogen content, and higher potassium and potash for the cooler months of the year. Lawns can be treated with lawn fertiliser or a weed and feed combination. If bare patches are present in lawns, consider seeding areas with an annual rye grass which will fill in quickly and suppress weed seeds from germinating. The grass will die off next June as temperatures rise, then bare areas can be in-filled with plugs or sod of lawn type.

Time and tide wait for no man, neither does a garden!

• Malcolm Griffiths is a trained horticulturalist and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture in Britain. He is also past president of the Bermuda Horticultural Society, the Bermuda Orchid Society and the Bermuda Botanical Society