Whilst there is a reduced need for active garden maintenance in winter due to dormancy. There is a lot of work that that still needs doing at this time. These jobs include:

• Protecting plants from cold.

As the cold, frost and winter can damage plants (even in pots), it can be important to move more vulnerable plants to sheltered environments, or cover them up via other measures.

• Taking advantage of the dormancy.

Owing to the lack of growth, winter is a good time to both trim down trees and bushes keeping them both healthy and at a manageable scale

Along with clearing particularly weedy gardens, and help to prevent their return, through covering flower beds with mulch, weed sheeting, or both, helping to ensure these areas remain manageable come spring.

• Preparing for spring.

​To improve the appearance of dirty patios, it Is a good idea to pressure wash these surfaces once a year.

Because of the mild temperature, thawing soil and commonly wet conditions, the spring not only means more active growth, and maintenance, but is also a good time to conduct other service such as:

• Lawn related services.

Owing to the mild conditions, spring is one of the best times to carry out various lawn services, such as scarifying out moss, aerating the soil, feeding and seeding the grass, as the grass will recover quicker.  

• Planting bulbs, seeds and plants.

As many plants in general are best planted in spring, with many autumn, flowering bulbs, needing to be planted at this time, this is a job worth thinking about.

Whilst, garden growth is very active during the summer period, the frequent extended periods of hot weather, means that it is important to protected from dehydration due to excessive heat and sunlight. 

• Protection of plants.

To help prevent dehydration, it can be a good idea to mix organic compost into a flower bed, (or lawn dressing onto grass), to help improve the soil ability to retain water, instead of it simply draining away when soil is sandy, or drying out, when heavy clay.

• Mulching

Additionally, applying a layer of mulch can help insulate the soil, from sunlight, reducing water loss via evaporation.

Owing to autumn being the second mild period of the year, it is not only an opportunity to clear leaves, but is also a good time to think ahead to both the winter and following spring:

• Lawn work.

For anyone who couldn’t do lawn work in the spring, the autumn, is 2nd best time to undertake lawn-based work, such as scarifying, aeration, top dressing or feeding.

• Planting of bulbs for the following spring.

As many bulbs which flower in spring/summer, need to be planted the previous autumn, this time of year, is an excellent time to think about what you want out of your garden in the following spring.