While the winter months may be upon us, a garden landscaping expert has shared why the cold months are the perfect time to start planning your garden project to help it flourish in spring…
Steven Walley, garden landscaper and paving expert from London Stone explains why the winter months are the best time to plan a garden project: “During winter, most plants are dormant, meaning there are typically less gardening jobs to do. This helps to free up your time to plan your new garden design, layout and space – without the rush of planting season.
“If you’re making changes to the landscaping of your garden, winter also allows you to see the bare bones of your garden layout, helping you identify what you would like to add or change more easily.”
Steven goes on to share 7 jobs to do in January to help your garden flourish in spring..
1. Assess your garden layout
During winter, many trees are without their leaves, so it can be easier to view your garden layout and make decisions on where you would like to open up more space or perhaps where you’d like to create more privacy.
If you decide to move any trees or shrubs then it’s best to carry out this work during the colder months because they’ll be dormant which means you’ll disturb the roots less.
2. Make any structural changes
Winter is the best time to consider creating new steps, paths, patios or flower beds in your garden. It’s much easier to make these changes in a garden that is empty rather than in spring or summer when it is in growth mode.
In winter, plants and shrubs will be dying back for the winter and weeds won’t be growing. Generally, when there’s less foliage and greenery, it makes landscaping your garden much easier.
Patio installation involves a lot of planning so making a start in winter will help you get a finished look ready for the warmer months.
To prepare for laying your patio, dig out your marked areas so that you can lay a sub-base, which serves as a foundation for your patio slabs. There is no ‘one size fits all’ model for laying a patio, each patio must be designed and fitted to meet the area’s specifications.
Once you’ve planned everything out and your patio paving slabs have arrived, you’ll want to lay them out on the ground as a ‘dry run’. This way, any mistakes with measurements or sizes can be rectified before you begin.
It’s important to follow these precautions to ensure you have prepared properly, to avoid expensive mistakes.
3. Identify where to plant new hedges
Seeing your garden stripped back in winter allows you to take note of the conditions it typically faces from harsh weather conditions such as wind direction.
Take note of which direction your garden faces so that you can assess where the harsher winds blow from. Identifying this will help you see where a hedge or fence could provide necessary protection and act as a shield for more sensitive plants.
If you’re considering redesigning your garden layout with focal points such as a water feature, make sure these are placed away from strong winds to avoid the water blowing out.
4. Get to know your gardens soil
Once you’ve planned the new layout of your garden, understanding the soil quality in the areas you want to plant new seeds is vital if you’re looking to grow healthy plants that come back year after year. Test the acidity of your soil, to determine whether it is suitable for the plant you want to grow.
Over time, the quality of your soil can fall as the repeated growing cycles of plants can leave it drained of nutrients and even change the soil’s pH, making it more acidic or alkaline. Ahead of planting new seeds in your garden, add compost, manure or grass clippings to help improve the soil structure as this can help with aeration and moisture retention.
6. Improve drainage systems
In winter, the heavy rain will help you see if drainage systems need improving in your garden.
Make sure to incorporate plants which thrive in both wet and dry conditions to your garden to help prevent drains becoming overused in heavy periods of downpours.
You can also help to support drainage in your garden by installing permeable patios, which use unique paving slabs to help absorb excess water rather than allowing it to pool on the surface.
However, drainage shouldn’t just be considered at the planning stage. Regular garden maintenance is key to keeping your garden well-drained. For example, prioritising regular clearing of drains and gutters of debris that build up throughout the year.
7. Move your plants now, to protect them in the long-run
It’s much better to move and relocate plants and shrubs over the winter when they aren’t growing or flowering, as this way they are disturbed less.
Simply dig them up and move them in the colder months to help ensure not to disturb their growth in the spring and summer months.