Winter Gardening Tips: 3 Simple Ideas To Make The Most Of Your Garden
Sponsored Content: This post is a collaboration with Suns Lifestyle. As usual, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Winter is on the way, so now is a good time to get out into the garden and prepare it so that you can make the most of your patio or outside space to enjoy on those crisp, sunny winter days. These three simple tips will help you bring vivid colour into your garden over winter and protect your outdoor furniture, while also providing much-needed food and shelter for wildlife who can struggle during the colder seasons.
Robust aluminium pergola, outdoor lounge set and outdoor rug, all Suns Lifestyle.
Add winter colour
Just because it is winter, that doesn’t mean that your garden shouldn’t be colourful and joyful to look at. After potting up your spring bulbs ready for next year, refresh your pots or soil by planting a variety of plants and shrubs that flower in colder climates. Personally, I am a huge fan of Cyclamen (especially the variety with the larger flower heads). Cyclamen will bring shades of punchy magenta pink, bold reds and pretty winter whites into your garden that last until late winter as they are frost-hardy. As they are also perennials, they will come back to flower every winter!
Winter pansies are another great plant to add in over autumn and winter. These bedding plants produce masses of colourful flowers over the colder months and they are very versatile: use winter pansies in hanging baskets, to brighten up your window boxes, in terracotta pots, or add them to your garden borders.
Winter heather is also a good choice for the season - these bushy plants are not only colourful, they have an interesting shape and they can withstand even the toughest winter weather.
The good news is that you will be able to find these plants in abundance at your local nursery supplies centre or plant retailer from September onwards. Simply pot or plant them as soon as you can to establish a good root system before winter sets in.
Invest in Nature Furniture Covers
My Suns Lifestyle outdoor garden furniture is weatherproof and can be left out all year round (even the cushions!), but my rural garden poses extra issues such as algae and moss being produced from the large overhanging trees, as well as the space being frequented by many neighbourhood foxes. As a result, I have always tended to store my outdoor textiles away, which made it particularly difficult to swiftly enjoy my garden on those bright, crisp winter days. I was therefore delighted when SUNS Lifestyle launched these Nature Covers, made from a tough yet breathable fabric to protect outdoor furniture placed in rural areas.
Made to measure for each of Suns Lifestyle’s furniture collections, the Nature Covers slip off quickly and easily and can be easily reapplied when required, giving you complete protection and control over using your outdoor furniture.
The fitted covers are slip-on and can be removed easily, keeping my Suns Lifestyle Savona Lounge Set in perfect condition thanks to the gore-tex fabric that circulates air and prevents the build-up of mould and condensation underneath. This is especially important for the teak wood central and side tables that need to have access to ventilation. I simply pull away the Nature Cover when I want to enjoy my furniture without needing to wash or brush down the seating areas.
Suns Lifestyle sell fitted Nature Covers for their entire range of garden furniture.
My SUNS Lifestyle Pergola is also a perfect haven in winter. Not only is it a sheltered spot where I can enjoy sitting and relaxing outdoors during the colder months, but it also provides great cover for outdoor activities when required. As an upcycler and DIYer, I often use my pergola as a covered space to do the things in the winter that cannot be done indoors (such as sawing wood or using spray paint).
Create a habitat for birds, insects and wildlife
While attracting wildlife to our gardens and keeping them fed during the summer is often a priority, it is important to not forget about them during the harsher months. There are a few simple things that you can do to help insects, nature and wildlife over winter, including making sure that they have areas to shelter and enough food to see them through until spring.
Bee and Insect Block designed and created by John Hollington Design.
When sweeping up the leaves in the garden, keep a tidy pile in a sheltered spot to provide protective housing for hibernating animals like hedgehogs and frogs. Refrain from cutting back your perennial plants - especially those with large heads (such as hydrangeas), as the skeletal frame will provide shelter for birds and insects as well as providing seeds for them to eat. If you want to do more to provide a great habitat for wildlife over winter, invest in a well-designed bee block or a birdhouse which will provide much-needed shelter and will encourage wildlife into your garden. In my garden, I’ve used a modernist bird house and bee hotel made out of blackened oak and Corten steel by the designer and creator John Hollington, which I first saw in the RSPCA Sanctuary Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show earlier in the year.
A birdbox made from steel and oak by John Hollington Design.
While a suspended feeder will keep birds nourished, a shallow dish containing dog food will keep the hedgehogs happy and leftover cheese and boiled potatoes are great for foxes (make sure you place these food bowls for foxes well away from seating or play areas in your garden).
For more information on Suns Lifestyle’s range of weatherproof garden furniture, nature covers and rust-proof aluminium pergolas, click here to be taken to the Suns Lifestyle website.