Prepare for Frosty Weather Ahead

As the days get shorter there’s definitely more than a slight chill in the air. As much of the garden goes into hibernation it’s time to think about which plants you need to protect from the oncoming frosts.

Although there are some plants and vegetables that laugh in the face of frost; more on those later, there are many that can’t withstand even the slightest sprinkling. Understanding the types of plants in your garden, and indeed understanding the lay of your garden can really help protect your blooms against winter devastation.

Understanding Your Garden and What’s in It

There will be some parts of your garden that are more sheltered and shady than others. Take some time to learn where these are, particularly where frost pockets hit. Plant hardy plants here and choose the more sheltered areas for your delicate plants. If you’re not sure which plants go where then read on:

Plant Categories

Tender: Tender perennials definitely don’t like frost, they can survive for years if they’re not frost bitten. Move them inside or protect against frost if you want to see them again next year.
Half Hardy: Half hardy plants are usually annuals and are a little, well, hardier, but they can’t take freezing temperatures either.

Frost Hardy: As you might imagine these plants can withstand frost and temperatures of approximately -5C.

Fully Hardy: Nature’s survivors. These tough plants can survive temperatures of around -15C.

Protecting Your Plants

There are many ways in which you can protect your plants from the frost.

Surround the stems of your herbaceous perennials with grit to help stop the plant’s roots becoming sodden and waterlogged. Surround the beds with mulch and bark compost too to help the soil’s drainage. The mulch will break down over the winter too and add some nutrients into the soil.

Move your tender plants inside a greenhouse or indoors and protect others with garden fleece, straw and even bubble wrap!

If you don’t have a cloche or cold frame cover plants such as alpines with a sheet of glass or plastic propped up on logs or large stones. Make sure you keep the sides open to allow air circulation to your plants.

Frost Lovers

Not all plants suffer in the frost; some positively love it! In the vegetable plot cabbages and Brussels sprouts improve with a bit of frost. Kale, parsnips and leeks thrive in this season too and provide a bit of much needed greenery and variety to our seasonal winter plates.

In the flower beds chrysanthemums, passiflora, red hot pokers and hardy fuscias are just some of the plants that seem undeterred by a visit from Jack Frost himself!

Winter proofing your garden is not as difficult as you might think and a little preparation for frost goes a long way to safeguarding your spring blooms.

Gardening Jobs for February

It may be the shortest month of the year, but February can often surprise us with a wide range of weather conditions. There might be snow and frost one week, followed by a few mild, sunny days, before bitterly cold winds blow in rain and plunging temperatures again. Any work you want to do in the garden has to be guided by the weather.

But even if you can only get outdoors for brief intervals it’s well worth making the effort because some jobs are best done at this time of year. Here are some of them:

· Plant bare-rooted trees, shrubs and hedging plants as soon as possible after receiving them so they don’t dry out. If you are unable to put them straight into what will become their permanent positions give them a temporary home in any spare corner. There’s no need to worry about planting them ‘properly’ with correct spacing or staking. The only important thing is to make sure the bare roots are covered with soil.

· Snowdrops are a welcome sight on grey winter days but they are notoriously difficult to grow from bulbs. They are best planted while ‘in the green’ shortly after flowering so now is the time to buy them in. If snowdrops are already established in your garden you can lift and divide the clumps to spread them further. Do you have some to spare? They’d make a lovely Valentine’s Day gift for someone!

· If you need to prune apple and pear trees this year you must do it soon while they are still dormant. If their buds are beginning to open, you’ll have to leave it until next winter. The aim of pruning is to remove any dead or damaged wood, allow more light and air into the tree, and thin out overcrowded fruiting spurs. By doing the latter, fewer apples or pears will be produced but they will be larger and of better quality than if the tree is left to its own devices.

· Prune summer flowering clematis now to ensure a good display later in the year.

· If you have rhubarb now is the time to force an early crop by covering some of the crowns with lightproof buckets, boxes or specially designed pottery forcing jars.

· Start sowing vegetable seeds if the weather allows. If you are not sure when conditions are right follow nature’s lead and observe what wild plants are doing. If new weeds are sprouting so will the hardier vegetables like early carrots, parsnips and broccoli. Onion sets can also be planted.

· And talking of weeds – the earlier you tackle them, the fewer you’ll have to deal with later.

· If you will need some expert help with a landscaping project this year, such as building new walls, giving your patio a makeover or installing new decking, don’t delay in asking a local professional landscape gardener to visit and give you a free, no obligation consultation. Finalizing your plans now will enable the work to begin as soon as the weather improves and you will have the whole summer to enjoy your new garden.

Essex Gardeners: Your lives made easier with a reliable supply and delivery service

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We’re offering a service to smaller garden landscaping companies or gardeners who need access to quality turf and topsoil at competitive prices, and who need them delivered direct to the properties they are working on.

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Are you a gardener or landscaper based in Essex or east London? Call in to 1B Sunnyside Gardens, Upminster, Essex or telephone 07852 666858 to discuss your particular turf and topsoil supply and delivery needs.

Three Things to consider when landscaping your garden

When done properly and with careful thought and planning, landscaping a garden brings a whole host of benefits ranging from environmental to social. But there is much to consider when embarking on a garden landscaping project. In this article we cover our top three:

1. Space
At the planning stage, make sure you take into consideration what the garden will be used for and factor in a range of practical features. For example, you may want a secluded area for sunbathing; a place for children to play that needs to be robust enough to stand up to heavy traffic; you may want to include a place to entertain; and you may also want to use trees to filter noise. Combining beauty with practicality is a fundamental part of the garden landscaping process.

2. Style
Maintaining a style theme throughout your garden is vital if you want the finished product to appear streamlined, attractive and a pleasure to spend time in. It is also a good idea to match the style of the garden to the style of your home. Modern houses lend themselves to contemporary garden designs whilst period homes work best with traditional style gardens. Put some thought into blending the inside with the outside and the results will be admired by all who visit.

3. Planting
Remember that plants grow! Your shrub or sapling may be tiny now, but what size will it be when mature? You must take into consideration what size the plant will grow to otherwise you could end up planting it too close to a wall, a fence or other plants. If other plants end up in its shadow, they may not survive and if the roots are too close to your home, it could have serious repercussions which may even lead to subsidence. Make sure you find out about the plants you are buying and allow enough space for them to grow to their mature size.

These are just a few of the many things you need to take into consideration when planning your garden landscaping project. Watch this space for more!

Increase the space in your property and increase its value - landscape your garden!

Even if space is short within a home, the impression of a bigger property is made possible by cleverly designing a garden so that it works as a living-space extension.

A stunning garden that has been well-planned to incorporate practical benefits such as sectioning off areas for children to play, creating privacy from neighbouring properties and keeping animals contained will attract attention from prospective buyers.

I suggest the following for adding space and therefore value to a property:

Consider a deck or patio that leads out from large glass doors and make sure you don’t hide it behind curtains – you want your viewers to walk into the room and immediately be drawn to your lovely outside space!

Use this decking or patio area to create an outside dining and entertaining space. Consider covering it and adding a heating system so that the area can be used all year round rather than just during the summer months.

Add an outdoor kitchen with a permanent barbeque or outdoor oven and a sink. If your property is strapped for entertaining space inside, make that space outside! That way you can utilise your inside space for other important things, thus making your home even more attractive to potential buyers.

And don’t forget the front garden! It is the first thing viewers see so make sure it looks fantastic and leaves a lasting impression.

Landscaping a garden makes it easier to sell a property. It is all about extending space outdoors, and making that outdoor space habitable all year round.

Anyone in any doubt on how best to utilise their outdoor space should contact D&G Garden World for friendly, expert advice; it will be money well spent, and will be recouped when the property is sold!