Get ready for winter
Prepare your garden so it’s at its best for the cold months ahead – and don’t forget the winter pansies, says
LET’S face it: whatever your garden looks like at present is pretty much how it’s going to look over the next few months. True, some winter shrubs will bloom and a few bulbs appear, and of course there may be some coatings of snow or ice. But basically, you could be seeing much the same picture for a long time.
So now is the time for getting rid of any eyesore that’s blotting your scene! If you are able to determine that it isn’t living, get rid of it straight away before the weather worsens. Go on, do it – or you’ll be staring at it until spring.
Likewise, do a scrupulous litter pick. I’ve invested in one of those walking stick-style ‘grab-it’ devices, not because my back hurts when I bend (which it does, anyway) but because this tool can reach right into the base of a rose or briar to fetch out that annoying bit of windblown plastic. Nothing irks me as much as a neat, tidy border with one garish twist of litter that I can’t reach.
Although I no longer lose sleep over neat edges between lawn and border, this is a great time to trim lawn edges as the neatness will last so long. And naturally, a last cut of the grass should be in the next fortnight, so your mower can then go off for a service, ready for next year.
Don’t forget the paths and driveways; a good brushing will get these looking proper. Sadly, it’s unlikely that this will be the last tidy this year – for sure, there will still be leaves blowing in. However, if you do a good job now, the results will show for a long time.
Finally, get a generous load of universal or winter pansies and put these in for some much-needed splashes of colour guaranteed!
“Now’s the time to get rid of any eyesores”