Blog: Blow away the cobwebs, lift your mood and get fitter…
When new gardeners find out I love winter gardening, the answer usually is: ‘I wouldn’t have thought there would be anything to do!’ Nothing could be further from the truth. My traditional start of the season is Boxing Day, when I try to work off my enormous Christmas dinner and take out family frustrations with a sledgehammer or axe (on something in the garden).
I love winter gardening, although the hardest part is definitely getting in the right mindset to go outside instead of vegging out in front of the telly (earn that by going outside first).
Winter gardening – The plan is to have no plan
The secret (it works for me) is not to have a plan at all. Get your Primark thermals on (other brands are available) and step out of the door. That’s all it takes.
On this occasion, I started cleaning the pots on the garage roof, a 10-minute job. It turned into a four-hour session, with plenty of rest, cleaning up the drive and the pond area – even the pond itself and the drain (double ugh). I ended up coming back in when I realised passing cars had their headlights on. It’s that sense of being lost in whatever you’re doing that is priceless.
Ready Brek winter glow
When you come back indoors, you have a wonderful winter glow, just like the Ready Brek kid adverts when I was young. In the winter, you become a part of the garden, and the birds will tolerate your presence when you’re having a break, not just robins. And the best bit? You’ll not have your time in the garden ruined by the Sunday morning lawn mowers or the smell of burning sausages in the afternoon.
