As we move into winter, the garden can start to look a little forlorn and barren after the vibrant summer and early autumn colours. However, there’s no need to put up with a dull drab winter garden, as there are lots of low-effort ways to keep it looking bright and interesting all year round.
Plant some evergreens
The most fundamental step you can take is to ensure that you have a good mixture of evergreens in your garden, which keep their green leaves all year round. If you love the Christmas season, why not go for some classic holly or ivy? The glossy green leaves and red berries of a holly plant provide an uplifting splash of colour.
Choose a creeping or climbing species of ivy to add interest to walls, fences, and garden structures. Other evergreen plants and shrubs which do well in UK winter gardens include such as Ilex crenata, phillyrea, box, and yew. Trim them into cube or cloud shapes for extra interest.
Add winter flowering plants
Flowers are not just for summer—the relatively mild UK climate means that there are plenty of winter flowering plants to choose from. Bring your pots and containers close to your window, where you can enjoy vibrant winter pansies and clematis. Heathers, hellebores, and rosemary are also rich in colour at this time of year.
Winter flowering shrubs are also a great choice, such as daphnes, which produce pretty clusters of red, white, or pink flowers in late winter and early spring. They also have a pleasant fragrance, so you could plant them near to your door to enjoy some uplifting winter scents.
Add wildlife features
We tend to forget about garden creatures in winter, but many of them will be quietly sheltering in nooks and crannies. Give them a helping hand with a hibernaculum, which is a safe space for frogs, toads, and invertebrates to spend the winter. To create one from scratch, start by digging a shallow hole about 1-2metres wide.
Loosely fill in the hole with garden debris such as branches, twigs, rocks, stones, or bricks, with enough gaps for creatures to find their way into. Create entrances using off cuts of drainpipes, or other old tubing, which are at ground level. Finally, coverup the branches and stones with loosely packed soil, leaving the entrances clear.
Add bird baths and tables
Watching wild birds in your garden adds interest, and provides a good learning opportunity for kids. Native birds will appreciate the extra food and water, as the winter months present a difficult challenge for survival, especially as their natural food sources are increasingly depleted by changes in land use and farming methods.
Put the bird table in a quiet spot where feeding birds will not be easily disturbed, if you possibly can. However, make sure that you can see it from the house to enjoy watching them. The table should also have good all-round views, so that birds feel safe from predators.
If you would like some help with gardening in Lancashire, please get in touch today.
