There's Mulch To Do!

Conrad McCormick recommends some winter gardening tasks that will offer significant benefits later in the year.

I think of winter as a time for garden admin, tidying, organising and thinking about what changes you hope to make. Get the groundworks in place now during the quieter months and you’ll reap the rewards over the year ahead.

Over the past couple of years our private outdoor spaces have been a haven and escape, it has been heartening to see previously unloved and little used gardens gaining a new lease of life as people turned their neglected gardens into usable spaces. If tackling larger projects or making changes, there’s a few things to consider. Think about how you’ll use the garden, is your patio next to the house where it’s in constant shade? It may therefore not be the most pleasant place to sit, moving it up the garden where you can catch the last rays of the evening sun can make the difference between it being regularly used or not.

Look at the views, can these be framed and enhanced by the thoughtful siting of small trees or large shrubs? Are you overlooked by neighbours? A judiciously placed columnar tree can block out upstairs windows, bringing a sense of privacy to your sitting out area or hiding that unsightly tumbledown shed next door.