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Three tips to brighten a winter garden
Whilst I may be a fan of herbaceous gardens, I know that not everyone is. There’s clearly many reasons for this, one being that they require quite a lot of work. In addition, as the winter arrives, most plants recede underground, leaving a once lush flowerbed seemingly devoid of life. One of the best ways to counter this is to opt for a compromise and use structural evergreens within a patch so that when the majority of the plants die back, there’s still some form and colour. There are also some great plants that shouldn’t be cut back until spring, allowing their dead foliage to be caught by winter’s grip and encrusted with white.
We’re not quite at that frosty time of year, but it’s not that far away. Autumn makes an ideal time to place shrubs, move plants and put in vital bulbs for spring. Taking the opportunity of a sunny day and slowing growth is a good idea and allows you to prepare your garden to see you through the winter with joy, instead of looking out upon a barren and brown landscape. So, what can you do to lift your garden for the colder months of the year?
Control your cut back
I don’t know about you, but the urge to prune plants back at this time of year tries to override everything else. I can’t help but want to tidy and neaten borders so they look a little more organised after the cascade of summer. But if you have a herbaceous border in the purest sense, this can lead to a rather dull, flat and lifeless looking garden.
One idea can be to leave some plants in place; whether they’re dead or not. There’s something beautiful about dead and stark foliage being covered in early morning frosts. Ideal plants to leave in place are Japanese anemones, Golden Rod, Phygelius (right) and sedums. If you have hydrangeas in your garden, leaving the flowerheads on until spring will protect emerging buds in addition to giving another structural element to winter.
It’s hard not to go crazy and have the compost heap towering to over six feet tall at this time of year. But, if you leave a few structural plants in place, you’ll be rewarded with a wintery delight on extra cold mornings.
Bring in some evergreens
One of my favourite gardens is one of my client’s, who’s persisted in using a majority of evergreen plants in their garden. This means that regardless of the time of year, there’s ALWAYS something green outdoors. Autumn, as I’ve mentioned, is an ideal time for planting new specimens. It’s also a time when many nursery’s are getting rid of summer stock. If you want to save a little money and provide some year-round structure, bringing in evergreens is a good idea. Whether they’re large shrubs such as box, bay or holly, or small groundcover plants, including hellebores or ajuga, planting now ensures you can avoid the brown barren of a wintery herbaceous bed. If you’re at a loss of what to do, companies such as Eden Landscapes and other nurseries, can provide great insight and support in choosing the correct garden additions.
Plant bulbs & pansies
Okay, so bulbs are spring flowering species, but there are some varieties that bloom in late winter. Snowdrops and early flowering crocus can be out in late January and February, bringing welcome colour to barren retreats. In addition, the specialised winter flowering pansies may look a little drab and dead when you first wake, but with a splash of sunshine, they’ll quickly perk up even on the coldest of days. Planting on mass creates the most impact, and if you’re not sure where you’ll need colour, plant the pansies in pots and shift them around as needed.
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