At this time of year the drive to get out and garden isn’t always readily forthcoming or even visible. It often seems the easiest thing to do is to wait until spring floods the garden with colour and then go and have a tentative peek out there.
We have around eight weeks, which let’s be honest will fly by in no time, until it’s officially, meteorologically at least, spring.
In that time there is much joy to be had in the garden. grasses twinkle in the dusk light, daffodils start to make an appearance, seedheads start to resemble thin tinsel and generally there is a soft ephemeral tone throughout.
To make the most of this window it’s an idea to create a winter garden area with what space you’ve got available. Prairie planting has much to offer in winter with late flowering perennials sharing the stage with grasses almost designed to turn frost into jewellery.
Grasses such as ‘Miscanthus sinensis’, Calamagrostis brachytricha ‘Mona’ and panic vergatum ‘Cheyenne Sky’ will surprise you on wet or frosty mornings with their choreographed display.
When choosing flowers to plant, think about tall stems that will allow insects to overwinter in.
Those that flower later or ones that simply keep on going are good picks. Rudbeckia and Echinacea are attractive and will keep providing winter seedheads and flowers for some time.
Similar shaped, long lasting perennials that flower late and provide winter seeds for form as well as the birds are Achillea, Sanguisorba, Phlomis and Cephalaria.
Even if you chose to just romantically stare out dreamy for the last two months of the season then these will provide plenty of interest.
If you’re looking for a very tall purple headed flower that looks like a cathedral when it’s stripped down and monochrome in winter is Spotted Joe-Pye weed.
Its wide clusters of flowers provide the ideal landing plate for pollinators and then a skeleton for them to hibernate in.
It flowers in late August and will tolerate most soils as long as it gets some sun.Its originally from the USA where it holds cultural status amongst Native Americans.
On the Plot
If it’s dry, get out on the plot and catch up with any digging jobs. Chances are it will be frozen solid or waterlogged next time you’re in the mood and free of other responsibilities.
Try planting cauliflowers in a frost free place such as a greenhouse or cold frame. A good and very economical way to keep the temperature up in the greenhouse in the next few months is to place a thick candle under a large terracotta pot placed on a patio flag and let it burn through the night.
If you have a larger greenhouse or think it might be even colder, then add a smaller pot on top making sure the heat can get through the holes in the base.
This will allow the pots to gradually retain the heat and bring the temperature up just enough to keep seedlings alive . There’s little point having a greenhouse and not using it all year round for something.
Sow hotter varieties of chillies indoors now to give them the best chance of a long growing season and to utilise the sun when the light is longer.
Plants are genetically structured to instinctively know when there is more light in daytime and chillies in particular benefit from this knowledge given they need long hours of daylight to ripen.
Timing this right is essential to a successful crop. This is because they need more energy to make the capsicum to provide their intense heat. Although if you want to impress your friends by eating a seemingly hot variety, plant them next month and they won’t be as hot. We have broken the back of winter, so it’s time to relax and plan.
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