Frost can be one of the most challenging aspects of gardening during winter. Freezing temperatures put plants at risk, especially tender varieties or those not accustomed to the cold. Protecting your plants from frost not only saves them from damage but also ensures they emerge healthy and strong when spring arrives. With these practical tips, you can prepare your garden for the colder months and keep your plants safe from the harsh winter weather.

Recognising Plants Vulnerable to Frost

Understanding which plants need the most protection is the first step. Tender plants like begonias, geraniums, and fuchsias are particularly vulnerable. Non-native species, young plants, and those in pots are also more susceptible to frost damage. Assess your garden and prioritise plants that are less hardy, as they’ll need the most care.

Using Mulch to Insulate Roots

A layer of mulch provides essential insulation for plant roots. Use organic materials like straw, bark, or well-rotted compost around the base of shrubs, trees, and flowers. Mulch stabilises soil temperature, retains moisture, and prevents roots from freezing. Apply it generously, especially for perennials and young plants still establishing themselves.

Protecting Plants with Covers

Covers act as a barrier between plants and frost, reducing exposure to freezing air. Use horticultural fleece, hessian, or even old bedsheets to cover vulnerable plants during cold nights. Ensure the material doesn’t weigh down delicate stems by using stakes to create a frame. Remove covers during the day to allow sunlight and airflow, which prevents dampness and rot.

Moving Pots to Sheltered Spots

Potted plants are at higher risk because their roots are exposed to colder temperatures than those planted in the ground. Move pots to sheltered areas such as greenhouses, porches, or against south-facing walls where they’ll receive warmth. Grouping pots together creates a microclimate that offers additional protection from the cold.

Wrapping Trees and Shrubs

Wrapping trees and shrubs helps prevent frost damage to their trunks and branches. Use tree guards or wrap the trunks with burlap or fleece, particularly for young or newly planted trees. For larger shrubs, tie branches loosely together and cover the entire plant with breathable fabric. This method reduces wind chill and protects the plant from harsh winter conditions.

Avoiding Overwatering During Frost

Wet soil freezes more quickly, which puts plant roots at risk. Reduce watering during frosty weather, and ensure pots and beds have good drainage to prevent waterlogging. Focus on watering in the morning rather than late in the day, giving plants time to absorb moisture before the temperature drops at night.

Using Raised Beds for Better Protection

Raised beds provide an additional layer of frost protection by improving drainage and elevating plants away from the coldest ground temperatures. If you already use raised beds, adding a layer of mulch or straw on top increases insulation. For gardens without raised beds, consider building small mounds of soil around tender plants to elevate them slightly.

Installing Windbreaks

Cold winds can exacerbate frost damage by stripping moisture from plants and chilling them further. Windbreaks made from trellises, fences, or temporary barriers like bamboo screens shield plants from icy gusts. Position windbreaks on the side of the prevailing wind to reduce exposure and create a more stable environment.

Using Cloches for Delicate Plants

Cloches provide excellent protection for individual plants or small groups. These dome-shaped covers trap heat from the soil and keep frost off leaves and stems. Use glass or plastic cloches for vegetables and smaller flowers, ensuring they’re well-ventilated during the day to avoid condensation build-up. Cloches are especially effective for plants like lettuce, parsley, and small shrubs.

Choosing Hardy Varieties for Winter

When planning your garden, select plants known for their frost-hardiness. Native UK plants and those adapted to colder climates, such as hellebores, yew, and boxwood, are naturally more resistant to frost. Incorporating these varieties reduces the need for intensive frost protection and ensures your garden looks good year-round.

Safeguard Your Plants This Winter

Frost doesn’t have to spell disaster for your garden. With careful planning and these practical techniques, you protect your plants and keep your garden looking its best throughout winter. By using mulch, shelters, and strategic placement, you create a space where plants can thrive despite the cold.

FAQs

How do I know if my plants are frost-damaged?
Frost damage often appears as blackened, wilted, or mushy leaves and stems. Roots may also be affected if the soil has frozen for an extended period.

Can I leave potted plants outside during winter?
Yes, but they require extra protection. Move pots to sheltered areas and wrap them with bubble wrap or fleece to insulate the roots.

What is the best time to water plants during frost?
Water plants in the morning. The soil absorbs moisture during this time. Avoid watering late in the day to prevent excess water from freezing around the roots. 

© Local Gardeners

When thinking about the design of a bathroom, you need to remember that it should not only be practical. It is not enough to ensure the ease of use of plumbing items. The bathroom should be designed so that it is cozy and comfortable to be in. The atmosphere in this room should help you relax and promote peace after fruitful work and recuperation. Therefore, when developing a design, the choice of not only the main finishing materials but also small interior details is of great importance. 

Creating a bathroom design

Carrying out renovations in an apartment is always preceded by thinking through the design of each room and all the interior details. As a rule, difficulties arise when choosing options for designing and arranging furniture in the bathroom since it is very important to create comfort, a relaxing atmosphere, and ensure the convenience of hygiene procedures.

What should the bathroom design be like? Beautiful, compact, and multifunctional. Therefore, it is quite difficult to design a bathroom perfectly, even if its area is large. If the bathroom is small or combined with a toilet, then developing the design will require even more time and imagination. A special approach to decorating small spaces is needed.

What needs to be done before starting to develop a design project? Clear the bathroom of unnecessary things. Often people also assign it the functions of a storage room. This should not be done. The design of the room must be thought out in such a way that it contributes to the creation of an atmosphere of relaxation. This will not be achieved if the bathroom is a repository of unnecessary things. In this case, even perfectly selected finishing, furniture, and plumbing will not be enough. So, what should you not keep in your bathroom?

For the room to be spacious and to be comfortable in it, you need to leave only items of daily use in it. If there is no space in your apartment to store hygiene products, cleaning products, and detergents purchased in reserve, you can leave them in the bathroom, making sure to hide them in a special box. 

It is also worth considering where you will keep equipment for styling and drying hair. The sight of appliances lying, for example, on a washing machine with wires hanging down will disrupt the harmony. The bathroom is generally not suitable for storing such devices. It is better to set aside a place for them in the closet or a dresser drawer in the bedroom and, if necessary, take them to the bathroom, remembering to return them to their place after use. For cosmetics, it is better to purchase a dressing table. If this is not possible, then you can store it on a shelf in front of the mirror in the hallway.

Storing cleaning equipment in the bathroom is not recommended.  It is better to remove basins, buckets, mops, brushes, etc. from the pantry. There is no need to store them in the bathroom. If the room for sanitary and hygienic procedures is small, then it is better not to place a basket in it for collecting dirty laundry. As a rule, air humidity in the bathroom is high, and therefore things will become damp and smell bad.

Basic bathroom design styles

Modern style

Modern style is represented by several artistic directions: minimalism, urbanism, and industrial style. They can be combined with each other. Each of these style solutions is characterized by using certain color combinations, plumbing fixtures, and furniture of the appropriate shape.

To decorate bathrooms in a modern style, finishing materials and objects in shades of brown, beige, or deep gray are used. Due to the neutral shades, the design is discreet and looks noble. It is complemented with ultra-modern accessories.

Provence

Another name for Provence is rustic style or farmhouse style. Despite this, it is often chosen for the decoration of premises by residents of large cities. Provence-style rooms are decorated using various accessories with ceramic stands and ornaments. The finishing is often done with gold inserts.

When decorating a bathroom in Provence style, light, often white, finishes and furniture are used. As a rule, the wood lining is used as a facing material for walls and floors. Sometimes part of the walls (mainly in private houses) is decorated with tiles. Integral details of the interior in the Provence style are cute bathroom window design, curtains, shelves, wicker accessories and furniture, and wooden parts.

Classic style

The classic version of room design involves using materials in natural shades. Bathrooms are often tiled with tiles that imitate natural stone. You can add modernity to the interior by installing original sanitary ware and using glass design elements. A classic-style bathroom is often decorated in beige shades. Due to this, the room acquires an ancient flavor and looks beautiful.