Winter in the gardens is full of frosty days- it’s a quieter period of reset for nature and humans alike- which means there is time for catching up on those chores we often don’t get time for in summer. I am usually the first to arrive in the morning, and my first job is to do a walk round and assess the grounds- which is easily one of my favourite winter jobs. The views over the vineyard and down to the village are exceptional at this time of year from the top of the viewing mound. Lots of little chimneys smoking away and the crystalline silence of the early morning are things I particularly enjoy. After this, we top up our bird feeders and make sure the fishpond isn’t frozen over, and then it’s on to the day’s work.
People often mistake winter as a quiet period for us gardeners, but the truth is we are just as busy doing work behind the scenes. Patios need cleaning and our machinery needs to be serviced while it’s in a period of lighter use. The large number of trees on site and in our woodland need to be cared for and assessed. There is winter pruning to be done on our vines, roses and other perennials, and of course the obvious task of planning for this year’s growing season.
Plants are being ordered and stored away ready to go out in spring, and we are sowing the odd seed too, such as sweet peas, broad beans and amaranth. One plant I am very excited about is a new Artemisia we are planting in spring called Artemisia abrotanum, or ‘Coca-Cola’, as it really does smell exactly like its namesake and has been used historically to treat various ailments and, unsurprisingly, as a natural air freshener.
As the year moves forward into February, we will begin the mammoth task of mulching our beds and borders with well-rotted stable manure. Following this will be the time for pruning our climbers, such as wisteria and Group 2 clematis. The borders will be tidied, and perennial grasses and plants such as Cornus and Buddleia will be cut back hard, ready to regrow in spring.
By now, most of our tender plants have either been dug up and stored (like our dahlias) or wrapped in horticultural fleece to protect them from frost. However, people often forget to fleece their pots too, and find that they go out in the morning to see large cracks in the terracotta. My rule is that if a pot is too large to move and we have recently had rain before a predicted frost, I fleece my pots, as the moisture in the soil might freeze and expand, causing breakages.
As the year begins again and the gardens slowly show signs of waking up- with daffodils, snowdrops and buds appearing here and there- we too must prepare for the coming year and all that it entails.
And 2026 in the Hambledon gardens is set to be extraordinary.