1. Winter gives you a break. Most plants and grass grow slower or are dormant in winter dropping the time needed to maintain your garden.
2. Bare rooted fruit trees and roses. You can get so many fruit trees and roses during winter that are nearly half the price of rest of the year. While these plants are dormant they can be sold without pots so they’re cheaper for nurseries and cheaper for you.
3. No need to water. Thanks to all the rain the garden hose can sit quietly in the corner and your water bills can take a break. If you are organised enough to have a watertank it should be getting pretty full too.
4. Lots of light during the day (when the sun is out anyway). As all the deciduous trees have shed their leaves for the winter lots more of the suns rays can make it into your garden. So whenever the sun does come out you can soak up the rays and get that hit of fresh air after being cooped up inside.
5. Time to plan. Winter is a great time to begin planning any garden renovations you have in mind. While the weather is cold and the days are short for big construction jobs outside you can get into the books or onto the web to scour for ideas to make your outdoor space unique. Now is also a great time to speak to a expert and get some advice to get your project underway before everyone else is getting out the drawing board in a few months.
6. Winter flowers. While lots of plants are taking a rest many are in show off mode in winter. Plants like Hardenbergias, Lavender, Magnolias, Daffodils, Daphne and many eucalypts look amazing at this time of year adding some colour to the grey days.
7. Snowscapes. If you happen to live in a colder area snow can transform a garden into a magical place. The soft layering of white we get in Australia can has a stunning effect on the landacape. Without the huge snow drifts of many parts of the world, our snow landscapes are often more accessible.
8. Winter vegetables. Broccoli, leeks, carrots and spinach all grow in the colder months, making for some tasty winter dinners.
9. Mud. When winter rain meets dusty ground we get mud. Lovely, lovely mud. One of life’s great joys is watching the kids (and big kids) get out and about in gumboots and jump about making a huge mess. Pepper pig eat your heart out.
10. Contrast. Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. Sitting on some warm grass or sipping a cold drink on your deck on a long summer evening can seem a million miles away from icy windscreens and inside out umbrellas of July. But getting out into some spring sunshine with birds singing and fruit trees blossoming can be really uplifting and is just that much better after being stuck inside on cold wet days for a couple weeks.
If you would like some more information about what you can make the most of winter in the garden or to get your spring garden plan underway feel free to contact us below.