What Winter Reveals About Your Garden (That Summer Hides)

Winter isn’t kind to gardens — and that’s exactly why it’s so useful.

When everything is in full bloom, it’s easy to miss underlying issues. Lawns look greener, borders are fuller, and problem areas are often disguised by planting. Winter strips the garden back to its essentials, revealing how it really functions.

For professional landscapers and designers, this is one of the most valuable times of year to assess a space. For homeowners, it’s often when long-standing frustrations finally make sense.

1. Drainage Problems Become Obvious

Standing water, soggy lawns, pooling near paving — winter rainfall quickly highlights where drainage isn’t working as it should. In summer, these issues are often hidden or tolerated. Over time, though, poor drainage can damage lawns, planting, and hard landscaping.

What to do: Pay attention to where water collects and how long it takes to drain away. Make a note or take photos after heavy rain — this information is invaluable when designing proper drainage solutions later.

2. Worn Paths and Access Issues Stand Out

As ground conditions soften, problem routes quickly reveal themselves. Muddy shortcuts, slippery steps, and awkward access points can turn everyday use into a frustration — or a safety concern.

These are often signs that circulation, materials, or levels need rethinking rather than patching.

What to do: Walk your garden as you normally would in winter. Notice where you avoid stepping, hesitate, or reroute yourself. These instinctive choices usually highlight where improvements will have the biggest impact.

3. Light, Shade and Orientation Are Clearer

With trees bare and the sun sitting lower in the sky, winter gives a far more honest picture of how light moves through a garden. Areas that feel gloomy now may never receive meaningful sunlight, while others may be ideal for seating or planting once temperatures rise.

Good garden design considers light year-round, not just on a summer afternoon.

What to do: Observe where sunlight falls at different times of day. If possible, note areas that remain shaded all winter and those that still catch light — this will guide smarter layout and planting decisions.

4. Structure Takes Centre Stage

Without foliage to soften the view, the underlying structure of a garden becomes obvious. Levels, boundaries, retaining features and layout either feel balanced — or they don’t.

Winter often reveals when a garden lacks definition, cohesion, or flow.

What to do:Look at your garden as a series of shapes and spaces rather than plants. Ask yourself whether it feels intentional or pieced together. This perspective helps identify where structural changes could transform the space.

Why Winter Is the Ideal Time to Plan

While most people associate landscaping with spring and summer, the strongest projects begin well before then. Winter allows time for careful assessment, considered design, and proper scheduling — without the pressure of peak season.

By the time the warmer weather arrives, the groundwork (both literally and figuratively) is already done.

Looking Ahead to Spring

If winter has highlighted issues you’ve been quietly living with, that’s no accident — it’s the season doing its job.

At Wilkinson Landscapes Ltd, we’re working all year around through any weather. The winter months are a great time to help clients understand their gardens properly and plan improvements that stand the test of time.

📞 01642 790409

✉️ info@wilkinsonslanscapes.co.uk

Our diary fills up fast, so if you’re considering changes this year, now is the perfect time to start the conversation.