Winter Gardens

Winter Gardens

Expert tips / By Catscapes Landscapes

This is the time when the scarifying for the lawn should be booked and the spring treatments of the lawn and gardens should be planned. The irrigation systems should be serviced and checked and all the faulty sprinklers replaced. The wayward branches on the trees should be cut back and any stumps on the trees should be cut level with the trunk.

Care must be taken that all the frost covers that are needed are in place.

It is a good time for all that annual maintenance on the furniture, painting the bird bath, removing weeds from the paving, etc.

It is time to give thought to the growing season ahead. New growth, new beginnings. plan a new garden, new water feature, try some new annuals in spring, refurbish your lawn. Careful thought should be given to the desired theme and look of the garden. This is done through the planting, using different texture and colours.

While some argue that all colours go together in the garden, it is important to follow the basic rules of the colour wheel so as not to create conflict for the eyes… this is your sanctuary.

Decide on whether the theme is formal or informal, place the structures (water feature, bird baths, benches, etc.) in place and then work around them to create balance. Decide the beds are going to be straight or curved and prepare them accordingly. Is there going to be edging? and if so what kind?

The structural aspects of the garden can still be installed during the cold months and will assist in the anticipation of the season ahead and help you to visualise the future garden