To me, the winter garden evokes a kind of warmth and cosiness not often found at any other time of the year. Whether that comes from being inside where it is actually warm and cosy, or maybe from the extra layers of clothing while you’re out gardening, is open to debate. Regardless, the winter garden has a beauty all of its own, where the slower pace and a complete hibernation of nearly everything, sometimes including yourself, creates a kind of reflective and contemplative mood. Dreams of spring, no doubt!
It’s very true to say you could stay inside at this time of year and just survey the winter garden with plans for the coming spring. But, given how glorious it can be to venture out into the winter sunshine to clear a garden bed, prune back some dead branches or winter weed your lawn, then I’m all for doing a bit of garden work at this time of the year – even if it’s just clearing up those autumn leaves. And the bonus with cool season gardening is that as soon as you stop working up a sweat, you can enjoy the crisp air while you take a breather, instead of battling the oppressive heat found at other times of the year.
Don’t mistake the winter garden for one with no life and colour in it. Despite your main feature plants taking a holiday, there’s much in the way of winter colour to be had. Small and large containers can house any number of colourful winter annuals like pansies and violas, snapdragons, poppies, and even sweet peas as we get deeper into the winter months. Winter veg is also a fantastic idea to fill any bare sections in your garden. Bring a touch of greenery with some leafy lettuces and spinach or if you’ve already planned ahead, some broccoli, cabbage and some other winter veg delights.
June is simply a great month to be out in the garden because you have two more months of winter up your sleeve after this one. So, whether you decide to hibernate or get cracking on some long overdue tasks outside, it is a very forgiving month with the amount of work you do, your own decision.
June jobs to do now:
- Order bare-root plants
- Pot up some winter colour
- Winter weed lawns
- Prune deciduous trees and shrubs
