Our top winter gardens
Frost sparkles in the morning sunlight, coating the trees, shrubs and flowers with a magical layer of white. Holly berries are all around, telling us that it’s finally winter. Get your walking boots on and explore a place made new by winter's spell. Find a garden that's local to you and enjoy the beauty that the season brings.
We’re still working hard to keep our gardens looking their best. But with fewer staff and volunteers to help out, things may look a little different on your visit. Please bear with us as we adjust to these challenging times.
What the gardeners are up to...
Winter is a time for pruning, planting, tree work, mulching, and getting excited about new seed catalogues as planning takes place for the coming year.
Annual rose prunings happen at places like Mottisfont. If you visit the walled gardens in winter you'll see gardeners out in all weathers tackling this task. An intense period of work helps places to prepare for the spectacular displays in early summer.
Homemade compost is spread throughout the rose gardens and kitchen gardens. This will feed the soil, help with water retention, reduce outbreaks of disease and increase the natural production of beneficial fungi.
Gardening tips for the winter
Preparing your garden for the frostier season can be made easier with the right preparation. Megan Pearson, gardener at Dunham Massey, shares her thoughts:
- In winter, trees can be planted and most shrubs and trees can be pruned to help define shape and height.
- Mulching beds and borders around plants is a productive early winter task to help insulate the soil and to improve the condition of the soil.
- Don’t attempt to be too tidy in the garden in winter – there may be wildlife hibernating in piles of leaves.
- If you have a greenhouse, seeds can be started off in trays in late winter/early spring to start initial growth ready for planting out in the coming seasons.