In January, the garden has taken a well-deserved rest, but now is the time for planning, protecting, and preparing!

We do this so the garden can truly thrive when spring arrives.

A few small tasks now will make gardening easier and more enjoyable when warmer days return.

Essential January jobs include:

• Protecting plants: the addition of mulch helps to insulate plants in borders, while you can also wrap very tender plants in fleece or straw to protect them in especially cold conditions.

• Pruning: prune apple and pear trees while they are dormant, and remove dead or diseased branches. However, it’s important to avoid pruning spring-flowering shrubs as they are already setting buds.]

• Caring for soil: don’t walk on frozen or water-logged soil; add compost, well-rotted manure, or leaf mould when conditions allow; make sure as well to remove fallen leaves from paths and lawns.

• Plan for the year head: January is the gardener’s thinking month! Order seeds early to get the best selection. Sketch out new beds or crop rotation plans. You can also review last year’s notes to evaluate the successes and failures.

Lastly, some of the plants in their element at the moment include snowdrops, helleborus viridis, and the beautiful winter aconites.

The garden at Rothe House is currently under maintenance but will reopen to the public as soon as possible.