It's easy to think of winter as a fallow time for growing veg, during which the garden is only useful for providing a scenic backdrop for the miserable British weather.
However, the reality is that the colder months of the year are ideal for certain types of plant, with tough perennials capable of dealing with the frost and snow.
Favourites such as lupins, heleniums and aster can all be planted during winter, as long as a little care is taken with where they are placed and how they are treated, Royal Horticultural Society expert Guy Barter told the Guardian.
Leaving them in soil that is too wet is a mistake, while certain bulbs may need more protection than others from the elements.
However, a careful gardener can nurse perennials through the winter, allowing them to lay down roots so that when spring emerges they will have a cheerful spread of flowers across their awakening garden.
