Jobs For Winter

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With colder weather forecast for next week, I’ve just done the last jobs in the garden, preparing for winter.

First of all, there’s the plants that won’t stand frost and need to come indoors for a few months. These include lemon verbena, a couple of borderline hardy ferns, and a tender salvia

Next to be tackled are plants in the pond. I’ve found there are some, which although perfectly hardy, appreciate not being waterlogged during the winter. These include candelabra primulas and astilbes

Others need a bit more protection, so go into the unheated greenhouse – hostas, primula vialii, lobelia cardinalis, zantedeschia, and schizostylis

Did you notice the patio furniture in there as well? There’s a garden bench that stays outside, but has a cover

I’ve also got in the habit of putting my heucheras in pots into the cold frame for winter

There are a few garden plants that need protection. They are given a mulch of dry fern fronds, and then further protection with fleece

Another plant in a pot that is not a fan of winter wet is a phormium – it gets a fleece cosy as well

My alpines are hardy, but do not like the constant freezing and thawing in a typical British winter. Protection from wet is all they require. The bricks have come from the pond where the pots of primulas, etc. were standing in the water

Last, but not least, the roof has to come off the fruit cage, in case we get any white stuff (the extra weight will bend the frame)

I think I’m ready now!

• 17 Nov, 2013
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