Winter inspiration

Don’t let the cliché of winter drive you indoors. Rug up and enjoy the beauty of this dramatic season with its vast white skies and stunning bare branches. The only thing holding you back from the great outdoors at this time of year is the temperatures – and there are plenty of ways of staying warm outdoors right now!

Plants

Shrug off the chill and lift your spirits with the beauty and colour of winter flowers.

In flower:

• Snowdrops (Galanthys nivalis) grow beautifully under deciduous trees. Very hardy – the colder the winter, the longer the flowers last.
• Winter rose (Helleborus) is a low ground cover with nodding flowers in antique-like colours of cream, green and pink.
• Bergenia is a thick ground cover and border plant that thrives in the shade.
• Daphne is a perennial favourite in the garden. Give it a spot in the morning sun, protected from cold winds and you will be rewarded with a heavenly perfume.

Plant now:  onions, garlic, broccoli, cabbage, broad beans, peas, and spinach seeds. Early winter is the time to plant bulbs of all sorts.

Tip: Winter means indoor heaters, which dry out air and stress out your indoor plants. Give them a good misting spray at least once per week.

Materials

Winter chills are no excuse for hibernation! Fire pits have become increasingly popular backyard inclusions, and winter is the perfect for keeping warm outdoors and enjoying the beauty of the season. You can build your own simple fire pit (look our for the many step-by-step guides available on the internet) or else you can buy a ready-to-use one like the PATIO by JAMIE DURIE Square fire pit which features painted steel fire bowl, wrought iron frame, decorative trim and chrome plated cooking grill.

Colour

Orange is a beautiful colour that warms you just by looking. It is associated with embers and campfires and sunsets and all types of cosiness. Add some heat to your cold winter garden by introducing some orange soft furnishings, paint some pots or chairs in shades of orange or planting some vibrant Bird of Paradise plants (Strelitzia reginae) – a winter flowering favourite

Furniture

There’s nothing stopping you from having a good old-fashioned barbeque outdoors this winter. They generate heat, and barbequed treats taste even better when it’s cold. PATIO by JAMIE DURIE has a range of BBQs to suit all outdoor chef - get some ideas here.

Soft furnishings + accessories

If you just don’t have the right conditions for colourful flowers in your garden beds where you are, try accessorising your garden in other ways. Try hanging lanterns, garden lights, and garden ornaments.