Is winter the perfect time to start a garden design project?

On a frosty walk to our studio across the impressive parkland of the Harewood estate, the ice crackles underfoot, our breath hangs in the air. A red deer stag is hunkered down in the lee of a tree, soaking up the weak rays of winter sun. It’s early December and so officially the start of winter.

Now that both the leaves and the temperature have fallen, we all prepare to spend more time inside. Sitting by the fire, tucked up under a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate, it’s easy to forget about your garden at times like this, perhaps thinking rather about interior design and how to bring what the Danish call ‘hygge’ to your inside spaces. However, if you’ve spent the summer enjoying your garden or thinking about how it could be improved, there’s no need to put off a garden design project until spring. In fact, there are some distinct advantages to working on a garden design project over winter, which we’ll examine in this blog post.

Winter reveals the bare bones of your outdoor space and we can transform it.

Everyone’s garden design project is unique, but something all gardens have in common is that at this time of year, the summer growth of our herbaceous plants start to die back. Winter reveals the bare bones of your outdoor space, and consequently, the form and flow of the garden are revealed, allowing the designer to get a real sense of how the space works, and how to make the most of different areas of the garden.

As bespoke garden designers, it’s our responsibility to listen to what you want from the garden and take care of each aspect of the design, for example by creating multiple ‘rooms’ around the garden that can be used for different purposes at different times of the day, or enhancing focal points such as beautiful views or prized garden ornaments. As our gardens start to die back, we have the perfect opportunity to view them as blank canvases, allowing our creativity to flourish.

What worked well, what could be improved?

Our aim as garden designers is to bring out the best in your garden and to create a garden that’s better than you could have ever imagined. To do this, we need to build on what you already love about your garden, and what you wish was different.

This is the season to reflect on how you spent time in your garden in summer - what brought you joy, and where was there room for improvement? Over the years, we’ve found that winter is when our clients have the clearest picture of their perfect summer garden. When we start your garden design project in winter, when these issues are still fresh in your mind, we can address and thoroughly resolve them in our garden design.

For those clients who are in the process of developing a new property, we encourage you to reflect on which aspects of the other outdoor spaces of properties in your portfolio worked well. Alternatively, you can start getting inspired on our garden design projects page.

Love spending time outside but want more sun and better views?

What do you love about your current outdoor space?

How can we improve it further?

Beat the rush at a quieter time of the year.

Another advantage of starting your garden design project in winter is that most people seek garden redesign and related services in the spring and summer months, so you beat the rush when you start now. 

The best landscapers are always in demand, so to secure their services you need to book them well in advance. We want to help you get your garden built by the best in the business, because they will execute our designs to the highest standards, creating beautiful and durable outdoor spaces for you to enjoy for years to come. It’s important that we get in there early and start talking to the best landscapers, to get your project scheduled for a time that is convenient for you.

Selecting the right materials

Materials are another aspect of the design where it’s useful to give yourself time. Choosing the right materials is so important and so we would encourage you to not rush the decision. There is plenty to choose from, each with different aesthetics, durability and costs. We will invite you to visit our design studio on the Harewood Estate where, over a hot drink, we can show you samples from our handpicked selection of suppliers and discuss our recommendations for your project.

“A garden is half-made when it is well planned. The best gardener is the one who does the most gardening by the winter fire,” said the American horticulturalist, Liberty Hyde Bailey.

Here at Rob Hardy & Co, we believe winter is a special season of change where the clean lines of your garden can be clearly identified. It’s the best time of year for us to discuss what you love in your garden and what could be improved, plus this quiet time of year gives you ample time to reflect on what you want, meaning the overall experience can be easy, seamless and enjoyable.

If you’d like to start the creative journey to a transformed outdoor space today, get in touch for a friendly consultation. We’d love to help.