February 17th, 2020 by Chris Chapman

During the cold winter months, your garden may be the last place you want to spend any time. Unpredictable weather, icy temperatures and harsh winds can all affect how you feel about your outside space. However, with a little imagination and creativity, it's easy to add a splash of colour and warmth to your winter garden, even if you only get to enjoy the view from the comfort of your nice warm home!

First, though, your garden needs to be kept tidy. This may seem like a huge task during the coldest season but pruning overgrown trees and bushes, trimming flowerbeds back to neatness, and clearing away fallen leaves or old disused items will make it appear less gloomy, bleak and neglected. At the same time, there is no need to abandon your patio or balcony. These too can be made into a vibrant and welcoming wintertide retreat from indoor living.

Having Done this Preparation, Here are Five Top Tips for a Dazzling Winter Garden.

Plants & Shrubs

There is a huge selection of shrubs, bulbs and herbaceous plants that are hardy in cold temperatures and flower throughout winter. They do well in planters and tubs and can dress up shady garden areas or your patio, creating dazzling displays of contrasting colours. Witch Hazels, for example, are popular ornamental plants that grow in clusters of orange-red and yellow and provide a real winter attraction.

Opt for hardy species that enhance each other in a range of colours such as winter pansies, cyclamen and violas. These pretty flowers are easy to mix and match and will bloom for the majority of the winter season and into spring. They are perfect in window boxes and large pots, and for brightening up your borders. Combine them with a shrubby evergreen fern or shrub such as sarcococca or daphne to create a pleasing contrast of foliage and flowers.

Pots, Planters & Containers

Remember that plants grow very little in winter and need our help to survive severe weather conditions. Choose frost-proof terracotta planters or containers made from plastic, ceramic, timber or fibreglass, and line them with bubble wrap to minimise damage to roots caused by freezing temperatures. This will ensure you have colourful winter pot displays that will flourish whatever the weather.

When planning your garden makeover, think carefully about which colours would work best. Pick a colour scheme for your pots that will jazz up your outdoor spaces. Glazed or painted containers in pastel shades of pink, lilac and purple are great for smaller plants on window sills whereas large, bold red, orange and green planters will look striking when placed around an open patio area. For a sleek, contemporary style, try zinc or stainless steel planters for a startling effect that will transform your garden or patio for the winter season.  

Bird Feeders & Water Baths

Why not encourage a constant stream of feathered visitors such as robins, blue tits and chaffinches to visit your garden? Attractive bird tables, original hanging bird feeders and weathered stone bird baths offer a charming way to ensure that your garden is full of life and colour. Not only will they bring an ever-changing natural display to your environment, but you are also helping the wild birds by providing extra food during the cold weather.

There are all kinds of seed and peanut feeders in plastic and metal on the market, but if you're the adventurous type you can build your own feeding station by painting aluminium cans in a variety of eye-catching colours. Bird baths (preferably concrete) should be set up in the shade, at a suitable height and if possible near trees and shrubs. Look for fountain-style water features and bubbling water accessories to make your bird bath even more appealing to birds.

Garden & Outdoor Lights

Make a noticeable difference to your garden landscape by strategically positioning garden spotlights or coloured lighting to illuminate your patio or to showcase favourite spots. Garden and outdoor wall light fixtures such as lanterns, sconces and lamps may be traditional or ultra-modern in their design, and can serve as eye-catching decorative features as they highlight your home and garden.

Many properties have outdoor lights to illuminate paths, driveways or doorways. These bring obvious benefits in improving visibility after dark – reducing the risk of falls when Jack Frost makes parts of your garden treacherous, for example – but they can also introduce decorative features such as post and pillar lighting that blend in with your landscape. Try enhancing the beautiful décor of your garden with co-ordinated lanterns hanging on surrounding trees, to create a cosy and warm ambience.

Patios

Don't take your garden furniture inside during the winter months if you can avoid it. Sitting on your patio surrounded by beautiful ornamental plants, coloured pots and playful birds can be your just award for all the hard work that you've put into brightening up your garden. Besides, a garden patio makes for a wonderful outdoor living space and an interesting focal point.

Most paved or gravelled areas require little maintenance and add to the biodiversity. However, they may require a little extra TLC during the winter, and you'll want to protect your patio from the effects of rain and frost. Paving stones can become slippery where algae-like growths, moss and liverworts have built up, and poor drainage resulting from an accumulation of dead leaves and dirt can be hazardous. To nip these troublesome problems in the bud, Pro- Kleen has come up with a fast and effective solution for keeping your patio grime-free and looking spotless.

“Simply Spray and Walk Away” is their eco-friendly, bleach-free formula which helps to get rid of the most stubborn dirt from your patio and other hard surfaces such as paving, fencing, decking and even garden statues Effective within 2-3 days, a single 5 litre bottle 25 litres of solution, covers up to 200 square metres, and has no shelf life. It's no wonder it comes highly recommended by paving and landscape contractors, as well as thousands of satisfied customers across the UK. The diluted solution is simply applied using a pump sprayer or a watering can, and it has been proven to be pet-friendly and child-safe when dry.

5L Pro-Kleen Simply Spray Green Mould and Algae Remover

Price: £16.96

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At Pro-Kleen, we know that freezing temperatures and shorter days make gardening in the winter much harder. However, by using Simply Spray and Walk Away, you'll be able to sit back and enjoy a cleaner, brighter garden and say goodbye to any “winter blues”.