Autumn: the best time to plant in the Empordà

Out of habit, many people plant in spring. On the Costa Brava, though, the best time for trees and shrubs is from October to December: the soil is still warm, the rain arrives and the plant has the whole winter to root before the heat.

What to plant now - Trees and shrubs: olives, fruit trees, hedging and Mediterranean shrubs. - Spring bulbs: tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and anemones. - Winter flowers: pansies, primroses and cyclamen for balconies and entrances. - Winter vegetables: cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, spinach and onions. - Lawn: a good time to sow or to reseed thin patches.

Why it works Plants that root in autumn need far less watering in their first summer. For a house you don't visit every week, it's the difference between a garden that copes on its own and one that dries out.

Water less as the rain arrives, but never let the soil around a newly planted plant dry out completely.