In the winter, the nights get longer and the days get shorter, and it can seem as though the winter will be a long, bleak time in the garden. In fact, this doesn’t actually have to be the case. If you’re smart about it, there are lots of ways that you can keep up working in and enjoying your garden during the winter. Spending some time outside, even in the winter, is good for your health, and boost your mood even as the darker, longer nights approach.
How can you make the most of your garden during the winter?
Garden For The Season
Even though it’s cold outside, your garden doesn’t have to be left to lie dormant and forgotten about until the Spring. Of course, it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll be able to enjoy the sight of cheery, bright flowers like a marigold or a peony blooming in the garden, but there are plenty of hardier plants that can still liven up the garden during the colder months.
You don’t have to miss out on colorful plants either. There are plenty of plants that can actually thrive during the cold weather, and give you a bit of color in the garden throughout the winter. Choose from lots of different flowering plants that will bloom in the winter, or choose a colorful stemmed plant.
There are lots of different plants that bloom and give color during the winter, including:
- Hellebores, which provide a lot of color over the winter. Some even flower as early as December.
- Heather. Choose between pink, white, and purple varieties, or mix a few colors together.
- Cyclamen. This plant gives a burst of color, even when not much else can grow in the winter and early spring.
- Nerines. They are popular for their showy autumn blooms in shades of pink, which last a long time.
- Snowdrops. These are among the first flowers to open in the new year, and they will grow well in the shade.
Get Decorating
Not all plants are able to survive during the colder months, so instead, you can brighten up the garden with decorations and ornaments. You can add some fun and interest with colorful wreaths, garden ornaments, lighting, and candles.
You could drape some fairy lights through the bare branches of a tree in the garden. Gather up fallen pine cones, paint them, and hang them around the garden.
If you’re waiting in the spring to plant up your pots, then while they’re empty in the winter, you can take the time to tidy them up a bit. Outdoor pots experience all seasons, so they can easily start to look dirty and a bit worn out.
Give them a good clean and freshen up their look with a coat of paint. Repair or replace any chipped pots. Even empty, a colorful pot will look nice in the garden.
Add A Garden Room
A garden room is one of the best ways to make better use of your garden while the weather is cold. If you invest in a well-made, high-quality garden room, you can keep it warm and cozy even in the coldest weather. You can enjoy being in the garden without being exposed to the elements.
Make sure you invest in quality, as a cheaply made garden room can easily be damp and draughty. Buy wisely, so you can enjoy your garden room all year round.
Get Creative When You Entertain
You can entertain in your garden, even during the winter. The weather can often be temperamental anyway, so even in the summer, you might have to get a little creative to be able to comfortably host guests in the garden.
Put in a sturdy gazebo to use as a shelter for the rain. If you love to barbecue, you can invest in a barbecue hut that will let you keep on using the grill all year round. You could also buy a firepit from S&S Firepits, so your guests can wrap up warm and toast some marshmallows, even in the coldest of weather.
Don’t forget about lighting up the garden too. Winter nights get dark, so brighten it up with well-positioned lighting. You can show off your winter plants and create a magical atmosphere in the evening.
Attract Wildlife
Winter is hard for plants, and the local wildlife can find winter a struggle too. If you try to attract some wildlife into your harden in the winter, you can support your local ecosystem and bring some life to the garden. A lot of wildlife that doesn’t hibernate can find it hard to find enough food to thrive during the winter. You can help out and support them through these difficult months.
There are lots of different ways for you to attract all kinds of wildlife into your garden, including birds and hedgehogs.
- Plants lots of flowers, trees, and shrubs that will live through the winter and that grow seeds and berries for wildlife to eat.
- Buy a bird feeder and keep it topped up with plenty of fat balls or blocks.
- Attract a wider range of birds by putting different options in the bird feeder, such as peanuts, berries, and insect cakes.
- Add leftover fruit, seeds, or bread crusts to the bird table to attract birds.
- Put out a shallow dish of water at ground level, to give birds and hedgehogs somewhere to get a drink.
- Clean out empty bird boxes to give them somewhere to nest in the spring.
If you can attract different wildlife into the garden, they should keep coming throughout the rest of the year too, once they know they can find food and shelter in your garden.
Just because winter is coming, it doesn’t mean that you can’t carry on enjoying your garden. Winter is a great time to do some work and try some different plants than you would be able to in the summer. Be flexible, garden seasonally, and carry out activities that work well for every season.