When your favourite hobby is pottering about the garden, winter quickly becomes the worst time of year – and it seems to get here earlier and earlier.

You’ve barely managed to squeeze in a single barbeque or sunbathing session when November arrives, and the thriving plants you’ve spent all summer pruning into perfection are buried beneath a blanket of snow or washed away in a downpour of torrential rain.

It’s no wonder that at the first sign of frost you’re tempted to sacrifice your garden to Mother Nature’s unstoppable winter trials and start prepping instead for re-doing it all come springtime.

But this time around, you’re not going to stand by and watch as all your hard work goes to waste.

Instead, we’re sharing five steps that’ll let you create a picture-perfect winter garden to enjoy throughout the coming months. Take a look.

#1: stop destructive pests

During winter, hungry and cold pests – like rats and mice – will quickly make short work of any vegetable patches or plant beds you leave unprotected.

whitefly

Image: here

To stop them turning your garden into their new home, set rat traps and keep compost or food waste bins clean and secure.

#2: add some colour

Not many plants will happily flower during the cold winter months, but one of the most depressing sights is looking out of your kitchen window onto a grey and lifeless lawn.

add-some-colour-to-garden

Image: here

Add some much-needed colour and interest with potted shrubbery. Go for hardy evergreen varieties to guarantee a full four seasons of flowering success and mix things up with decorative plant holders.

#3: give vegetable plots a helping hand

Broad beans, asparagus, winter lettuce – there are lots of vegetables that will thrive during winter if properly attended to.

give-vegetable-plots-a-helping-hand

Image: here

Get them established in autumn and they’ll continue to provide you with fresh food until spring – and make sure you give outside planting beds a cosy fleece covering to keep them happy as the temperature drops.

#4: guard against frost

A glittering layer of morning frost may look festive but it also wreaks havoc with the health of your plants.

guard-against-frost

Image: here

Cold frames, light coverings and raised beds will shield your garden from frost damage, although it’s important to remember that all plants require varying levels of care and to tailor your protective measures accordingly.

#5: create an atmosphere with outdoor lighting

Add some fun to your garden this Christmas and carry the decorations from your living room to the outdoors with light-up snowmen or twinkling stars.

create-an-atmosphere-with-outdoor-lighting

Image: here

But even once the festive season has passed, solar-powered fairy lights draped over decking or fences will keep your garden bright and happy until the first spring blossoms arrive.

So instead of helplessly standing by and letting winter destroy your plants, get wrapped up warm and follow our five steps – you’ll end up with a picture-perfect garden for the entire year.