Homes with gardens, those situated in the UK, generally find themselves in an interesting situation. The climate allows for a luscious and seasonal garden space, one that is conducive to wonderful foliage and flora. However, by the same token, these spaces are often neglected during the winter months due to inhospitable conditions.
This period of grey, wet, and windy weather can lead to not only a lack of usefulness but also a potential risk of deterioration. Flower beds can overgrow, furniture wears away, and drains quickly clog. Without proper consideration and foresight, these issues can occur quickly, not only leading to the need for repairs but even irreparable damage.
To avoid this risk and to ensure a garden and home remain safe during the winter period, ready to once again be enjoyed during the spring, a garden should be prepared during autumn, ready to resist the challenges of what’s to come.
Secure Assets
It only takes a single night of heavy wind for flower pots and garden dining furniture to be blown away and even thrown into other assets, from kitchen windows to log cabins. That which might not cause immediate damage, such as cushions and plants, might still end up in the neighbour’s garden.
To avoid this risk, homeowners should consider any potential moveable object in their garden and ensure it is either removed, placed into storage, or secured in place, especially if a home is to be left vacant for any period of time.
Prevent Floods
As trees shed their leaves and rain falls more frequently, there is a significant chance that drains and gutters become clogged. While this may seem like a quickly resolved issue, it is very easy for such blockages to go unnoticed and, as a result, for water to collect. For a homeowner, this risk can lead to leaks within the home, especially for water that collects on a rooftop.
Ensure that drains are fully cleared in autumn and, for those homes near large deciduous trees, that drains have netting to protect from potential unwanted build-up. Small cages placed around key points are a low-cost investment that can prevent significant risk.
Clear Soil
Lawns and flower beds can, when left to their own devices, become quickly overgrown. Certain weeds, such as bindweed and bramble, are fast-growing and very difficult to remove once established. With less time being spent outdoors, the winter is the perfect time for these plants to establish themselves and even muscle out competing plants and flowers.
Weeding a garden before winter sets in is important. While it may feel like a chore, attempting to remove weeds that have grown over the festive period in springtime will be a far greater task. In addition, established weeds can also affect plants and soil, limiting the produce grown in vegetable patches, as well as the health of certain flowers too. And, for more dangerous weeds, such as Japanese knotweed, there is even a risk of structural compromise and, as a result, a lower property value.
