Parts of the UK have been sent an urgent snow alert by the Met Office on Friday, set to come into effect at 4pm on Sunday.
The string of yellow weather warnings for snow and ice cover 42 hours and span a three-day period. Further alerts for Monday and Tuesday cover large parts of the north of England and southern Scotland.
As a result, Brits with gardens have been issued advice by the RHS to ensure that the cold, wet and windy conditions that are set to batter the UK do not cause damage to trees, shrubs and garden structures such as trellis.
According to the Wildlife Gardening Forum, 87% of households in the UK have a garden, the total area covering about 1,670 square miles (over 432,500 hectares) which is a little more than a fifth of the size of Wales.
“Improving shelter, staking plants, mulching, wrapping pots and careful matching of plants to places will help to prevent this kind of damage,” the RHS website said.
In cold or exposed areas, even hardy plants may need protection from the elements. Protective wrappings should be put in place at the first sign of frosts, it explained. It also recommends keeping containers in dry, sheltered areas, grouped together for mutual protection.
“Prevent roots freezing in containers by wrapping with bubble polythene or straw. Alternatively plunge (bury with the rim just showing) the pot into the ground.”
Your garden is a microclimate in itself. You will have warm spots, at the base of a south-facing wall for example, and cold or wet spots on the north side of the house. Choose plants carefully for each of these positions. Site early-flowering plants, such as magnolias and camellias, so they are not exposed to the morning sun, as rapid thawing of frozen buds can result in blackening and bud drop.
Measures to prevent winter damage should also be applied to more permanent structures including roofs and fences.
They said: “Before the start of winter, check all garden structures and replace or re-attach loose panels, roofs, posts and fences. Replace solid fences with ones that are 50% wind permeable to avoid gusting, turbulence and shaking.”
But, for those expected to receive snow in the coming days, the RHS has issued a specific warning to prevent damage or injury.
It added: “If snow sits on hedges or the crowns of trees there is a danger of branches breaking. Shake off excess snow as it starts to build up on branches, and prune hedges to taper at the top to minimise snow damage.”
