Winter tasks

  • We decide which bulbs to order for next year and then place the order in December. 

  • On a nice day, in early winter, we give the lawn a final cut on a high setting and this also removes the fallen leaves

  • When severe frost is forecast, we apply fleece to protect certain semi-hardy plants in the garden such as Phormium tenax (New Zealand flax) 

  • Plant pots are sorted, cleaned and stored ready for the spring

  • In the main garden areas we check for overgrown plants – some will need pruning. The shape and size of certain plants can be seen more clearly in the winter. While trees are bare we can more easily remove dead or crowded growth

  • We prune most of the Japanese acers, conifers and small trees during the winter. We use pruning as a method of improving the shape of a plant, keeping it healthy and preventing it from getting overgrown. In general, we find that missing a pruning opportunity can be damaging to a plant or to the neighbouring plants

  •  The leaves of hellebores are removed in December before they flower, and old fern foliage is cut back before the new fronds emerge. 

  • Small trees are checked to ensure that stakes are firm and ties are not too tight. We check deeply around bamboo plants and reduce clump size if necessary
     
  • Garden tools are checked, and those not needed for the winter are stored in the dry

  • A forest bark mulch is applied to any areas of bare soil

  • Especially to prevent slipperiness, we clean stone paths in late winter using a high-pressure hose to remove debris, algae and moss    
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