The first frosts are just around the corner – so take a look around your garden and make sure your precious plants are well protected with our top winter survival tips.
- Hold off cutting back fuchsias and penstemons till next spring, leaving this year's dead stems and foliage in place. The extra protection will prevent the frost penetrating the ground and killing their roots
- Tie up kniphofia leaves in a 'hat' above the main plant to protect the crowns. These South African beauties are only borderline hardy but if you can keep the heart of the plant frost-free they should survive outside.
- Stuff straw into the crowns of tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica) to protect them from frost, then bend the fronds over the top of the crown before wrapping it in horticultural fleece
- Lift containers onto pot feet, available in our garden centre in sets of three or four. This helps excess winter rain drain out so your plants don't drown in freezing soggy compost
- Heap dry autumn leaves or straw over the crowns of agapanthus and the Cape figwort, Phygelius x recta. Both will survive happily in the ground with some extra protection from the frost.
