One of my favourite times of the year

Gardening for me has pretty much finished outside, so now I begin next years planning, drawing up plans for what goes where in my crop rotation plan and most exciting, list making of seeds I have and seeds I want.
Taking into account my late Dads old adage of growing something different each season, looking through the seed catalogues and on line sites keeps me buzzing. It won't be long before the Onion seeds will be sown in the heated propagator in the conservatory and getting in manure, and digging out last years compost heap and prepping for next year. I don't over tidy, leaving some areas unkempt for the wildlife, but the raised beds and greenhouse will be prepped ready to go. I need to get some Shallots sets and seed potatoes and that is just about it seed wise, more exciting then when the bearded fellow with the red suit comes.

 

What a lovely post, @burnie.

This is the time to look back and forward as well as making a mind up what we want next year.
Our ideas are a result of what we didn't do before, and what we did before, we learned from that experience.

Not that I'm keen on winter, but there is so much to discover in winter time. What we see in summer started in winter.

 

I suffer with SAD in late Autumn/early Winter, but planning for Spring and having something in the garden flowering all year round can seriously help my mood. I've got the Erica carnea, Viburnum bodnantense and Lonicera fragrantissima to look forward to, then when they're done it hopefully won't be long before my newly-planted dwarf lilac flowers!

It's quite a fun challenge trying to think of low-maintenance plants for the times of year when there are very few things flowering, or none. Aster novi-belgii might be another new addition that stays, it copes quite impressively with drought and provides some nice colour in mid-Autumn.

Nick

 

Don't forget Hellebores, Nick. No maintenance apart from cutting off the old leaves so the flowers are more visible from January onwards...

 

The niger hellebores flower even earlier - from about November through to January or so, depending on location etc. so that could be a useful option as well. I struggle to keep them going, but it could be worth having a go with those.
There are also early dwarf daffs which flower in January in some areas, so that could be useful for next year @Nikolaos. You can always do some investigating just now - but watch the bank balance...
I have as many evergreens as possible for over winter, as I also used to find winter difficult. Planning for the following year is something most gardeners do when they've been at it for a long time though. I've bought some different seed for a few new options next year. That helps to keep me going and keeps me positive.
A collection of pots, with various spring bulbs, that you can shift into a position where you'd see them regularly, is always handy, as it helps to 'turn the corner' into spring, even when spring is a long time coming up here. Encouraging birds into the garden is always entertaining too. Getting outside every day is also important.

 

Plenty of Gorse in flower round here during the winter, bit of a devil to mow the lawn round if they are in your garden though, ask me how I know.........................