AUTUMN’S mild weather has made for an interesting, to say the least, gardening season.

Summer sown cut and come again lettuces are still being cut and the perpetual spinach is living up to its name and we are still picking a handful or two of raspberries.

But what of the wildlife?

Our resident toad has most definitely not turned to hibernation yet, and is often sighted behind the still uncut raspberry canes rooting out tiny slugs. The mild weather has stopped me cutting things back as I might have done and I have decided to let parts of my garden and allotment go a little wild over the winter months to hopefully provide a sanctuary for wildlife.

Beneficial insects such as ladybirds are invited to overwinter in the decaying stems and flowerheads of the Verbascum and foxglove plants. Then come spring they can emerge early to get the first flush of aphids.

Aphids caused a huge problem on the squash and pumpkin plants this year, their sticky honeydew residue creating a mass of sooty mould, which resulted in having to harvest the fruits too early.

Ground beetles eat those tiny black slugs and all they need for overwintering is some decaying foliage such as a pile of leaves in the corner of the plot.

And then there are the plants that can provide structural winter interest.

The giant fennel heads will look stunning when we do get a frost and also offer a crop of seed for hungry birds when the weather does turn cold. I saved and dried our sunflower heads and these will be spiked onto a bird feeder on the apple tree later in the year.

By deliberately neglecting corners of the plot, hopefully I will have more energy for some of the bigger jobs in hand such as digging.