Gardens are all well and good in the summer when you can picture yourself outdoors, accidentally working on a tan in that space between your pants and shirt, surrounded by sunshine and warmth as you weed, plant, and admire your cheerful garden.

But winter is coming, and just like literally any character in Game of Thrones, there is no way of knowing if your beloved plants will survive until the next season.

Handy winter gardening tips

• Weeding in winter is actually easier as the ground is softer after rain.
• Now is the ideal time to prune deciduous trees – no leaves means much less mess and better ability to see what you’re doing.
• Got roses? Pull out those secateurs and pruning now.
• Lawns can get compacted over long hot summers, so use a garden fork to aerate your backyard to help it soak up more water.
• If you’re expecting frost overnight, cover your most delicate plants with a couple of sheets of newspaper to protect them.

Plants that excel in winter

Just like the Jon Snows of Winterfell, there are a number of plants and flowers that thrive through the cooler months.

• Snowdrops
• Lily of the valley
• Lavender
• Pansies
• Cornflower

‘What are the best flowering winter plants?’ you may ask.

There are actually more winter flowers than you might think. As mentioned in the graphic, there’s snowdrops (aptly named for the season), lily of the valley, lavender, pansies, and cornflower. But then there’s also plants such as dahlias, zinnias, snapdragon, marigold, and petunias. Note that some winter flowering plants need to be sowed before the season really kicks in.

All that said, Australia is a pretty big place, so you’d have to be living under Uluru not to realise that there are a few different climates throughout the country. A local professional can help with tips and recommendations for winter flowers in Melbourne, Perth – or yes, even Uluru – so don’t forget to ask their opinion when you start planning your wintry garden.  

So let’s say you’re after a gardener in Victoria, you can simply browse through our options, pick a favourite like you’d pick the prettiest spring daffodils, then request a quote for a little wintry gardening work. To be honest, getting the pros in may even give those roses a better chance of not being too over pruned to see the light of summertime ever again.