Last week I spent a couple of hours in the Minor Injuries Unit in Abergavenny, with what I had thought was a sprained ankle. I slipped and fell on wet flagstones in work a few weeks ago and as I could put my weight on my ankle, I assumed it was OK. A few weeks later it was still annoyingly painful and a friend who is a personal trainer insisted I went to get it checked out.

It turns out I have a ‘flake fracture’ and have been working as usual, and actually did my dry stone walling exam with it being very grumpy. Not ideal. Anyway, the staff at Nevill Hall were absolutely brilliant but did say rather sternly, “You really should have come to us straight away.” I explained that I really don’t want to bother people and just ‘hoped/thought it was ok’ – you all know how it is. Their kind but firm (and sensible) response was, ‘We are a Minor Injuries Unit, the clue is in the title. You do your job and let us do ours.’

It’s a busy time in the garden too, whether hobbling or not hobbling. The grass is growing as if it was May, no doubt making up for lost time this summer – a lot of herbaceous plants are over earlier than usual and the leaves are busy doing their ‘falling’ thing. Trying to keep on top of leaf clearing, especially now they’re dry, will be a lot easier than waiting until they have all come down. There is a lot of ‘erring on the side of not being overly tidy’ in the garden for the winter to allow natural habitats for wildlife, but I think you have to weigh that up with safety and practical issues too.

Wet leaves on paths and steps will be slippery – and you don’t want to fall – trust me! And leaves left in thick blankets on lawns will compromise the health of the grass. On the other hand, leaves on flowerbeds can act as a helpful mulch and are ideally placed to provide the habitats which wildlife need. Do try to get a compost heap going if you are clearing lots of leaves – it will be great stuff to go back onto flowerbeds in no time at all.

One of my clients is the queen of composting and always inspires me to do the same. It is the original recycling model and so beneficial to the garden – as her own glorious beds and borders testify.

I always remind people that daffodil bulbs can be planted now, as it’s so easy to overlook this important window in the gardening calendar. Summer has gone, and with it so has a lot of enthusiasm for gardening for a lot of people. And planting bulbs is not instantly gratifying either, which is another hurdle for many, but in a few months I guarantee you will be so glad that you made the effort to plant these humble little packets of spring colour. There is a huge range of varieties to choose from – all heights and lots of different colours, bloom sizes and combinations so do take the time to do a bit of research as to which would be the best for you.

Remember that scented narcissi are more easily enjoyed when planted in containers close to the house, and there are varieties like Rijnveld's Early Sensation, which can flower at the end of December and Poeticus and Jonquilla types, such as 'Pheasant's Eye' (Narcissus poeticus recurvus) and 'Cheerfulness,' which can bloom as late as May. Including these varieties in your planting plan will give you the longest blooming period.