Frosty herbaceous perennial borders — Photo by Annie Spratt.

What does this Blog talk about?

Hey everyone, Gemma here, your friendly neighbourhood garden enthusiast! As the days grow shorter and the chill sets in, it’s time to focus on preparing your garden for winter. But here’s the thing - your garden doesn’t have to go into hibernation. With some clever design tweaks and a little preparation, your outdoor space can remain beautiful and usable throughout the colder months. Let’s dive into the essential winter garden maintenance checklist and design tips.

Tidy Up: Protecting Your Garden and Wildlife

Start by giving your garden a tidy-up, focusing on removing any dead, diseased or damaged plant material that could encourage pests or diseases. But where you can, leave fallen leaves, dead plants, and organic debris to provide shelter for hibernating insects and small mammals. Consider creating habitat piles with prunings, which will benefit hedgehogs and other creatures. Composting some of this organic material is another great way to enrich your soil while staying sustainable (1).

Pruning: Preparing for a Healthy Spring

Pruning is key to helping your garden thrive next year. Focus on cutting back herbaceous perennials, such as peonies, phlox, and autumn asters, as well as trimming shrubs and trees that may be damaged by heavy snow or high winds. Be careful not to prune spring-flowering plants like magnolias or camellias - these already have their flower buds set for next year. Winter is also a great time to prune fruit trees to encourage a strong crop in the summer (2).

Plant Protection: Guarding Against Frost

Rose damaged by winter frosty — Photo by Nina Koepfer

Frost can be tough on some plants, but a little preparation goes a long way. Move tender plants into greenhouses, conservatories if possible. For those tender plants that must stay outside, wrap pots in bubble wrap or hessian to insulate their roots. Use fleece or cloches to protect delicate garden plants, and apply a thick layer of mulch around flower beds to shield them from frost damage and maintain soil temperature (3).

Lawn Care: Strengthening Your Turf

Though your lawn may go dormant during winter, it still benefits from a little TLC. Rake up leaves regularly to avoid smothering the grass and reduce moss growth. However, instead of discarding them, save your leaves to create leaf mulch, or spread them on your borders as a natural mulch.

This will help nourish your soil, retain moisture, and provide valuable habitat for beneficial insects. Aerate your lawn to improve drainage, especially in areas prone to waterlogging. Avoid mowing if frost is likely, but if conditions are mild, keep the grass slightly longer to help it withstand the colder months (2)

Seasonal Planting: Bringing Life to Winter

Winter doesn’t have to mean a dull garden. Planting winter-flowering varieties such as hellebores, cyclamen, and winter pansies can add bursts of colour. It’s also the perfect time to plant spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils - just make sure you get them in before the ground freezes. These early investments will reward you with vibrant blooms once the weather warms (3).

Design Tips: Creating a Winter-Friendly Garden

Key design ideas to help you create a winter wonderland:

Wildlife Focus: Add bird feeders, water sources, and even bug hotels to support wildlife. Watching the activity these attract can bring joy to even the frostiest days (1).
Evergreens and Structure: Use evergreen shrubs, hedges, and topiary to maintain structure and greenery year-round. Plants like holly and yew add formality and texture even in deep winter (2).
Winter Interest Plants: Choose plants with winter interest, such as the vibrant red stems of dogwood (Cornus sp.), the architectural silhouettes of grasses, or the berries of cotoneaster and Skimmia. These features will provide colour and contrast (4).
Outdoor Living Space: Position a bench or outdoor chairs near a sunny or sheltered spot to encourage use of the garden on milder days. A throw blanket and some cushions can create a cosy retreat.
Hardscaping Features: Incorporate structures like pergolas, fire pits, and seating areas to make your garden inviting in winter. Add overhead coverings or windbreaks to shield against the elements.
Lighting: Install warm-toned outdoor lighting to brighten dark evenings and highlight garden features. When choosing lighting, opt for low-intensity lights to avoid disturbing nocturnal wildlife, such as bats and insects. Consider placing lights in sheltered areas to reduce light pollution and create a calming, natural ambiance in your garden. Using solar powered and motion-sensor lights can also help conserve energy while still providing visibility when needed (5).
Potted Plants: Cluster pots of winter-friendly plants, such as winter-flowering Helleborus, violas, and evergreen plants for structure (e.g., Skimmia japonica 'Rubella'), around patios or doorways to create visual appeal throughout the colder months.

Final Thoughts: A Garden to Love Year-Round

By tackling these winter garden tasks and embracing a few design ideas, you can create an outdoor space that’s as inviting in December as it is in June. So, grab a hot drink, wrap up warm, and start making your garden a winter haven. And as always, if you need a helping hand or tailored advice, get in contact!

Happy gardening from Gardens by Gemma! 🌱

References:

The Wildlife Trusts (2024) Wildlife gardening tips for winter. Available at: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/ (Accessed: 2 November 2024).
Royal Horticultural Society (2024) Winter gardening advice. Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/ (Accessed: 2 November 2024).
BBC Gardeners' World (2024) Winter gardening tips. Available at: https://www.gardenersworld.com/ (Accessed: 2 November 2024).
RSPB (2024) Wildlife-friendly garden ideas for winter. Available at: https://www.rspb.org.uk/ (Accessed: 2 November 2024).
WWF (2024) Eco-friendly garden lighting ideas. Available at: https://www.wwf.org.uk/ (Accessed: 2 November 2024).

Winter Garden Tips: How to Prepare and Protect Your Garden for the Cold Months