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Garden In the From window boxes to country estates


by KATIE MCARTHUR, BA (Hons) Garden Design: Arts & Environment Principal, McArthur Landscapes


WINTER With winter upon us it's easy to sit back and dream of distant hot summer holidays and lazy afternoons sitting in the sun and forget about our garden. Temperatures dropping, wind howling, frost biting and rain lashing the garden, we need to get organised and this is the perfect time of year to do it and review your exterior space and plan ahead for the coming year. No matter what size your space or time of year, there is always something we can all do to spruce up our property.


From window boxes to country estates, areas for bin stores to communal gardens, these treasured pockets of green space are extensions of our living space to enjoy and take pride in. With a little bit of imagination and hard work you can create original outdoor rooms, kitchen gardens, party spaces, tranquil water gardens, nostalgic escapes and much much more. Investing in the exterior of your property will not only add value to your property but will turn your home into a place that is attractive and desirable. With this in mind, a yearly maintenance plan is essential for keeping the exterior of your property looking fabulous.


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Winter colour Make the most of the season with a quick fix of winter colour, plant items next to your front doors, porch, window boxes, planters and on the patio. Cyclamen can be combined with small box spheres, tumbling ivy and phormiums to provide a classic, structural winter display. Using the deep pinks and reds will add warmth to the


arrangements or stick to white and greens for a real snowy traditional feel.


If you prefer something a little larger that will stay in a container for several years, choose standard bay trees, trained standard hollies, topiary box or ivies trained around climbing frames. Combine them with good quality planters or something a little quirky and finish off with a decorative mulch. Christmas wreaths, outdoor lanterns, bird feeders and sparkly lights also look great in winter and provide a real warmth and welcome to visiting guests.


Keep your tubs and containers nice and tidy, cut back if necessary and remove any debris. Mulch the surface of the compost with a decorative grit, stone or slate and sit them on pot feet or bricks to avoid winter water logging. If you have larger pots in the back garden that may be at risk of cracking in the frost,


Images www.rspb.org.uk Cyclamen and box ball


Decorative slate, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2010


range of birds you will see. A good bird food mixture contains flaked maize, sunflower seeds and peanut granules. Black sunflower seeds are a good year-round food and contain a higher oil content than the striped seeds. You can also put out coconut bird treats, fat balls or fat based bars and shapes but always remove


insulate them with bubble wrap to avoid any damage.


Winter dig If the ground is workable, forking over the ground several times will help to reduce pests by exposing them to hungry birds. The wildlife will also benefit from a variety of bird food at this time of year. The more variety you put out the wider


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