Tilly, It is quite easy to become over protective with many plants. Check how hardy they are before covering them up, many only need protection in very cold and frosty weather. With those in pots you can put them in a warmer part of your garden, for example against the house.

You can buy large fleece 'bags' that cover the whole plant and pot. As Dr Bob says, it depends what the plant is as to whether it actually needs this protection. I find that things are fine until about Feb/March before dying!!

thanks doctorbob and volunteer.

Good advice. It is usually only necessary to protect anything from Christmas to mid January with me. Also, this year was the first time since 1981 that we had any serious kills.
Wet soil is a much bigger killer with me (clay soil)

Yes, and spring weather can be too cold as well. Some plants seem to give up the will to live if spring doesn't warm up early! Just when you thought you'd got them through...

Hi Tilly,

It's best not to attempt to remove climbers from their trellis supports and chances are those plants will be pretty garden hardy in any case - unless you've taken to growing half-hardy exotica up your trellises!

If you are in a very cold or frost-prone area then containerised plants are probably the ones most at risk, so consider moving them to the warmest, most sheltered spots in your garden or preferably to a sheltered wall of the house.

Free standing plants can be entirely enclosed and protected using jute (hessian) sacks like these frost-protection jackets:

http://www.ecocharlie.co.uk/garden-equipment/plant-protection/frost-protection-jacket.html

The main benefit of these is the breathability - you will likely do more harm than good enclosing a plant in non-breathable bubble-wrap all winter for instance, and you can pre-wrap the plants in horticultural fleece before enclosing in the jute sack where extra protection is necessary.

Thanks volunteer and Ilex. I havent attempted to wrap the climbers - thought better of it. Have done the cordylines though and a few plants in pots, although most are now in our courtyard area which is the most sheltered spot of the garden, so fingers crossed!