Share Imagine this: you open the door to your garden, and there is a beautiful blanket of white snow on the ground. Picturesque ice droplets cling to the hardy plants that peep through the snow, turning your green space into a cosy winter scene.
Whilst this may seem idyllic at first glance, it signals that you need to take extra care with your new garden plant additions.
If you’re faced with frozen ground or sub-zero temperatures, you should not be planting. You’ll need to consider your storage options until the ground is no longer frozen.
We recommend temporarily housing your plants in a sheltered spot in the garden. This could be:
- A fit-for-purpose glasshouse
- A cold frame
- A pot nestled tightly against the side of your house
- A porch
Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’
Our plants are hardy, so they are well-equipped to deal with this type of weather. However, if you don’t want to leave them outside, we suggest a well-lit windowsill in your home.
Once the ground is workable again (and the ground frost isn’t likely to return) you can continue to plant your new garden favourites.
When your plants are safely in the ground, you can take the following three steps to future-proof them from the harsh effects of frost and snow:
- Cover your plants with fleece – if you can’t get hold of horticultural fleece, an old (clean!) blanket will do
- Build a cold frame to store plants in
- Try and keep plants in a sheltered position – this should offer some protection from the harshest of winter weather
If you live in a frost pocket, try these ultra-hardy specimens which will thrive whatever the weather: Bergenias, Mahonias, Viburnums and Cornus.
