Although the days are shorter and cooler, there are still plenty of plants that will provide flowers through the winter months – often with a delicious scent. Visit your local garden centre to choose from the range available, including Viburnums, Witch Hazels and Sarcoccoca for sweetly-scented flowers. Dog Woods and Willows provide interest with their vibrant stem colours of reds, yellows and russets. Prune these to a basic framework every other year in early spring, to keep the young stems which have the best colour. Plants such as ornamental Elderberries can also be pruned hard now to keep the plants small and increase leaf size and colour.
Vegetable garden
If the weather is suitable, work can begin on the vegetable garden for next year with some winter digging.
- Divide the plot into three sections
Double dig one of the sections, incorporating well-rotted manure or garden compost into the bottom of the trench.
- Remove any perennial weed roots
This will help to cut down on weeding next season. Do not compost these, but burn or dispose of with rubbish.
- The ‘manured’ section
Use to grow peas and beans and other vegetables that prefer a rich soil.
- The soil
Leave in rough clods for the frosts to work before it is raked down to make a seedbed next year.
Tidying the garden
Start to think about the winter ahead, by tidying your garden shed to store unused terracotta pots and garden furniture.
- Purchase some horticultural fleece
These can be found in your local garden centre to wrap vulnerable plants during the hardest of the weather.
- Move potted plants
That are to stay outside to a sheltered spot in the garden.
- Walk around your garden
Whilst checking plants that are staked to make sure ties haven’t slipped and that the stakes are secure.
- Prune bush Roses
When they have finished flowering by half to prevent wind rock and prune any long, unwanted growth from climbers.
- Replace any broken trellis or fence panels
Once the plants are dormant and paint with a suitable preservative.
Plan next year’s garden
Plan your garden for next year, whether it is a new hedge or a new border. The area can be prepared through the winter and planted early next spring to give the new plants the best chance of getting established before the following winter. Your local garden centre will have stocks of suitable fertilizers and composts to incorporate into the area before planting.
Spring flowering bulbs
Remember to plant any remaining spring flowering bulbs that are still in their packets as soon as possible this month. Why not visit your local garden centre and add some early spring bedding to your borders as well?
- Choose from…
Forget-me-nots, Bellis and Wallflowers, which all look stunning with Tulips.
- Winter Pansies
Are also available in a wide range of colours and will flower reliably until the Spring, unless the weather is very severe.
- Don’t forget
To plant some bulbs into containers to provide early colour on your patio or near the house.