October Gardening: Leaves, Fruit, and Roots in our Autumnal Garden

October is a beautiful month in the garden - full of colour, texture, and harvest. Autumn gardening is all about leaves, fruit, and roots. At Secret Garden Distillery, this is when our garden truly shines, providing some of the key botanicals that are the foundation for our gins.

Harvesting Angelica Root - A Key Botanical in Gin Making

One of our four essential gin botanicals, Angelica root, plays a vital role in every gin we craft. In gin distillation, Angelica acts as a natural flavour fixative, binding together the aromas and flavours of the other botanicals. It also contributes a subtly sweet, woody, and earthy note to the spirit.

Angelica is a biennial plant, meaning it completes its life cycle over two years. During the first year, it focuses on producing lush green leaves and a strong root system; in the second year, it sends up tall flowering stalks to produce seeds for the next generation. Because it self-seeds readily, we never need to propagate it by hand. This ensures a sustainable, self-renewing supply in our botanical garden.

When it’s time to harvest Angelica roots, we carefully select plants that haven’t yet flowered. Using a spade, we lift the entire plant, returning the nutrient-rich leaves to the compost to feed next year’s soil. The roots are washed, sliced, and slowly dried in our drying room - a process that locks in their complex aroma and flavour.

Juniper Berries – The Heart of Every Gin

Another key botanical ready for harvest this month is our juniper berries - the signature ingredient that gives gin its defining character. Each berry is handpicked from the prickly juniper branches, ensuring only the ripest berries make it into our stills. It’s a slow and careful process, but one that guarantees exceptional quality and a true taste of the season.

October Garden Jobs and Autumn Care

Beyond harvesting botanicals for gin making, October is a busy time for general autumn garden maintenance. Here are a few essential October gardening tasks to keep your garden healthy and productive:

• Collect fallen leaves to make rich compost or leaf mould for next year’s mulch.

• Weed the beds before winter sets in to give your perennials a clean start.

• Take cuttings of rosemary, lemon thyme, and lavender — perfect for propagating fragrant herbs over winter.

• Prepare soil and tidy borders, keeping your garden looking its best as the season changes.

As the days shorten and the air turns crisp, the garden slows down but the work continues quietly beneath the surface. Roots strengthen, seeds settle, and nature prepares for renewal. At Secret Garden Distillery, we celebrate this natural rhythm, capturing the spirit of the season in every bottle we create.