A garden or allotment in January can look a baron and glum place. But I love it because it presents a blank canvas ready to accept all of my plans, hopes, joy and dreams of colour, sun and scent. There is plenty of garden related work even for this time of year and the time you spend now will reap great rewards in the following seasons. Although the garden may look dead now it is really just gathering itself for the spring explosion of energy that we so eagerly anticipate. However, the memories of last winter’s snow bound gardens and frost encrusted plants remain painfully raw and picture book beautiful in equal measure. There are positive steps you can take if you or your garden suffered and you don’t want a repeat if the weather turns so bitterly cold again. Pre-empting, taking control and taking the winter by the scruff of its neck is what I am writing about this month.  Here is my top ten list of winter garden survival jobs:-

1. Above all else keep yourself safe in snow and ice. Either clear paths yourself or employ a local gardening company to do it for you.
2. If you have a pond, rake out fallen winter debris or shake off snow that has gathered on protective netting. (This may also be a good time to repair any leaks in your pond). To make a hole in frozen ponds, hold a saucepan of hot water on the surface until melted through. Do not crack the ice, as this is harmful to fish.
3. Clear plants, trees and shrubs of snow and accumulated leaves
4.  When the weather is cold but not frosty it is a good time to prune trees and shrubs to size and shape.
5. Protect vulnerable plants from wind and cold by either wrapping them in garden fleece or moving potted specimens out of harm’s way. Don’t forget to insulate outside taps too. Vulnerable plants can be identified from information available in good gardening books or on line horticultural web sites
6. Plant up winter window boxes or containers to give a heart warming lift to the view from inside the house
7. Don’t forget to feed and water the garden birds that are so vulnerable at this time of year
8. Work off some festive season calories by turning over the contents of the compost heap
9. Clear gutters, water butts and flower beds of fallen leaves and debris
10. Have fun looking at gardening books, ordering seeds replanning your garden and visiting the fabulous winter gardens at our local National Trust properties