Bringing your Garden to Life
When summer is over we often turn our backs on our gardens and forget about them until the first spring flowers emerge. But there's no reason why a garden can't look good in winter. There are things you can do to bring life and colour to a winter garden. So don't just look out of your window at those faded perennials and fallen leaves. Spend time tidying up and prepare for your winter display. Visit flower shops too as they always have great ideas. Flower delivery is a good option too if you can't carry much.
Once you start to realise the number of different flowers available during winter you will be pleasantly surprised. Winter Pansies make great blooms for the colder months as they are frost tolerant and brightly coloured and last for weeks and weeks. Hellebores are a great choice too and their lovely flowers bring joy at Christmas. These flowers can all be bought from florists, garden centres or markets. You can bring the pots home and arrange them how you wish. Don't be afraid to ask about flower delivery to save carrying heavy weights.
Clear out tubs and hanging baskets too as there are many plants that you can use in these for winter displays. Skimmias make a good centrepiece. Surround them with winter Pansies and trailing Ivy for a lovely show. When spring arrives, these plants can be moved into the garden itself or into larger plots once they start to grow.
When tidying up your garden look carefully at seed heads. Many plants such as Fennel or Love-in-a-Mist have beautifully shaped seed heads which look most attractive silhouetted against the sky. Evening Primrose has a beautiful shape too and this flower attracts goldfinches in winter which come to eat its seeds so you will have a double bonus.
You can buy many evergreens in pots. These plants do not lose their leaves in winter. Mahonia is a beautiful shrub which has yellow scented flowers and Skimmia has bright red berries. They make wonderful arrangements and can later on be planted into a garden for a more permanent position.
Many people use outside lights at Christmas time but there's no reason why you can't put up lights during all the dark winter months. Pale blue can look particularly attractive set amongst your winter blooms and low energy light bulbs can mean that running costs are kept to a minimum. There are also excellent solar lights which, even with low winter sun, will bring a certain amount of light into a winter garden.
Have a look at gardening books and in flower shops to see how to display your plants in winter. The good thing about plants in pots is that you can move them round and when they are at their best you can put them at the forefront. You can also use other natural things to make a display such as stones, logs and shells. If you have a bird table you have the added bonus of attracting lovely birds to your garden. We all love robins but you should see other birds when the weather gets cold such as fieldfares and thrushes that will come to your bird table.
Flower shops and garden centres are always on the lookout for new ideas when it comes to planting. These are great places to visit for inspiration and trained staff will always be on hand to advise you. Never be afraid to ask for help as that's what they are there for. So whether you have a tiny outdoor space or a large garden there will be great ideas for you to copy and a wealth of different plants to brighten up your winter days. Remember too that if you don't have a car, flower delivery is often offered.
Learn more about flower shops in your area. Stop by Fred Lancaster's site where you can find out all about the right flower for the right occasion.
