Design your garden in the winter!
February is a hard month for all of us, and our gardens are no exception. It’s still cold and wintry and although there may be the odd brave bulb or shoot rearing its head, most things are still in their winter hibernation state.
But strangely, this is actually a great time to plan your garden…
Without the colour and exuberance of spring and summer, the bare winter garden has its structure on show, right down to its bare bones. It is easy to see the areas that need attention. From your vantage point inside the house, you can see areas which could benefit from some winter interest. You can also clearly see where the frost pockets are in your garden, giving you an indication of where to avoid positioning more tender plants.
Imagine!
Sit down and imagine you in your perfect garden on a lovely summer’s day – how does it look and what are you doing in it? Are you sitting under an arbour with a book, breathing in the scent of beautiful climbers around you? Or enjoying a barbecue with family and friends? Or pottering about in your greenhouse? At this stage, let your imagination go and see where it takes you – it may be something you saw on a favourite holiday, that you’d like to include in your garden, or something you’ve seen in a friend’s garden that inspires you. If you struggle for inspiration, flicking through gardening books, magazines or visiting garden centres and open gardens can be really helpful.
Include everyone!
Remember to include everyone in the family when coming up with ideas, including the kids and pets. You may need separate areas for play and adult entertaining, as well as an area for the dog – so that everyone has their own space to enjoy the garden however they want. This will save arguments later when prized plants get dug up or hit by a football!
Also bear in mind that children and dogs both grow up over time. Don’t necessarily fill in your pond when your children are small, if you know that in a few years’ time, they will be enthralled by the wildlife in it – just fence it off or add a safety grid for the short-term. Make long-term plans for when the trampoline is no longer in use and you can reclaim that area of garden again.
If you don’t like something, don’t keep it!
I often meet people who say, “I don’t really like that ……., but I suppose it should stay really.” Unless it is a protected tree or part of someone else’s property, consider removing or hiding the item in question. Otherwise, it may spoil your enjoyment of your garden, especially if it is a shrub that needs lots of maintenance – consider a replacement which you like better, if you cannot do without it completely.
Be realistic and honest
When considering how you would like to improve your garden, have an idea at the outset of how much you are willing to spend. There is no point in planning something spectacular, if your budget simply won’t stretch that far.
Also, be completely honest about how work you can take on. Can you make the changes yourself? Do you have the knowledge, energy or time to build a new patio or dig over a huge planting bed? It’s especially important if you work full-time and have limited time at weekends to do the work in the garden – you will find that it will take much longer to complete your garden project than you expect. Consider the tasks you want doing and whether you can do it yourself or need help to get them done. Otherwise, you may find that your garden project never gets off the ground.
Also looking ahead, consider the maintenance of your new garden – are you reducing the maintenance by making your changes or are you making more work for yourself? If you are short of time, consider lower maintenance options, so that the garden does not become a chore, or otherwise allow budget for bringing in some outside help to keep your garden under control.
Ask for help
If you struggle to come up with ideas or find it impossible to agree between you what you want in your garden, it’s a good idea to seek professional help. A meeting with a garden designer can help to establish which of your ideas are feasible, come up with new ideas which please all parties and give you guidance on future maintenance and planting solutions.
They can also help you to find reputable local landscapers to do any of the garden construction work you cannot do yourself, saving you the time and worry of finding them yourself. Getting help can ensure your garden project is an exciting and enjoyable experience, and gives you a fantastic garden you can enjoy for years to come.