Design for Winter

Although much of the design of our garden is ad hoc evolution I have been quite conscious for the past few years about gradually redesigning of some of the rooms. It is a little luxury that retired gardeners can afford. The black and white terrace, for instance, is one of the few areas clearly visible from the house. As it was constructed less 18 months ago it is still quite some way off maturity. But I have been quite conscious about the need for some winter interest and structure in this part of the garden, exactly because it is visible from the kitchen. In the morning, when it is light, the planting of the terrace and the evergreen nature of the patio living wall are a welcome splash of colour, all be it mostly green.

The heathers, the hebe (midnight sun), the mouse eared chick weed, the sarcococca humilis, the viburnum, the black grasses and taller black phormium, all give the area a certain interest on a grey February morning. Even the buddleia in the bed above adds some structure, it has been deliberately left largely unpruned. The "butterfly bush" still has some leaf and greenery visible but it will need to be cut back down in the next week or so as the flowers are always on this years new growth.

The first signs of spring will also be evident by looking out of the window onto this space. The spring bulbs are just beginning to show in the raised beds and pots.

This is in direct contrast to other beds in the garden which still look somewhat bleak and rather bare at this time of the year. But they will also need a little attention, weeding and mulching. Fortunately, I can avoid stepping all over the beds (and avoid compacting the heavy soil) by carefully finding a foothold on the retaining stonework.

TIP: avoid standing on the soil in the beds wherever possible and if not use a piece of board laid on the ground to spread your weight.