The Bare Bones

Prepare to adjust your perspective on what makes the perfect winter garden.

In recent years there has been a big shift in winter garden design. A reimagination of a wilder winter where wildlife, birds especially, are taken into account. There’s certainly nothing dull about the garden at this time of year, there are so many shapes to draw the eye; cones, spheres, spires and frosty plumage!

In terms in design, you should be aiming for:

• Structure (the backbone of the garden)
• Colour
• Shape
• Texture

Ornamental grasses are great at filling out beds and borders when they become sparser during the winter months. When covered with frost they look particularly magical.

Traditionally perennial seedheads were cutback in late autumn but there has been a shift in people’s attitude towards winter wildlife. By leaving the seedheads intact you will encourage a colourful and enchanting array of birds to your garden. Our top picks are Echinacea purpurea and Rudbeckia.

Where to go to see inspiring examples of winter garden design:

Visit us for inspiring and seasonal displays, we are open seven days a week.

• Anglesey Abbey in Cambridge
• Broughton Grange Gardens
• Bury Court in Surrey
• Malverleys in Hampshire
• RHS Wakehurst
• RHS Wisley
• The Big Plant Nursery