It is hard to believe, after a pretty warm and dry November, that winter could be just around the corner. I think one of the reasons that gardeners get caught out by the first frosts is that we are in denial: with blue skies and gentle autumnal sunshine no one wants to think about cloches and insulating fleece. But frost is unforgiving, and that sinking feeling of waking up to a sparkling winter garden, knowing what’s happening to your precious half-hardies or tender veg beneath the ice, is not something anyone wants to repeat.

As a garden designer I try to avoid using too many plants that can’t stand up to some rough winter weather, and this is one obvious way to minimise your cold-weather workload. But it is all too easy to succumb to some pretty little exotic thing in the garden centre, or gazing warmly out of the pages of the latest catalogue. Besides, even tough species, if newly planted, will benefit from some protection, so here are the basics:

• It is wind, not just cold, that is so damaging to plants, as a persistent wind will wick moisture away from the foliage and leave the plant dehydrated. If you have any really windy channels through the garden, try erecting a windbreak using posts and netting. You don’t want to stop the wind dead in its tracks, as it will only end up buffeting around somewhere else, but diffusing it will greatly lessen its impact on your garden.
• Keep your winter protection neat. I hate the sight of miserable grey fleece flung over a border, so pin it down and only apply it where you need to. Remember to roll it back or remove it when it’s not needed – plants don’t want to be smothered all winter long.
• Cloches are a more attractive option, and are easy to pick up and remove during warm spells. Glass cloches are gorgeous, but aren’t really practical for large areas or dozens of plants.
• Hessian sacking can be neatly tied around tree ferns and cordylines. Try tying the leaves up together to prevent the growing tip from getting soggy, or place a flowerpot over the top. Polythene can be used but mustn’t touch the leaves directly, or condensing moisture will freeze and damage foliage.
• Small shrubs can be protected from frost by packing fallen leaves or bracken around the base. You can pin it in place with netting, but I leave it loose all year round and don’t have any trouble. Let the worms and the weather do their job and you have a mulch and frost-protector in one.

Pots need special mention. Plants in pots are more prone to frost damage because they are not buried snugly underground, so even tough plants will need protection. Wrap bubble wrap or hessian round the pot (I prefer hessian for its rustic appeal) – I always intend to finish it with a neat hessian bow but somehow in the short, dark days of winter this never makes it to the top of the to-do list. This protects the pots too, which in hard winters are liable to crack and fall apart with an endless cycle of freeze-thaws. You also need to lift pots slightly off the ground to improve drainage and stop them becoming waterlogged. Either use the special feet available from garden centres, or sit them on something like a wooden palette.  It’s worth grouping pots together as this creates a little micro-climate which will see off much of the frost.

If you like to bring the outdoors in to use as Christmas decorations, pick your branches before the birds eat all the berries. Make sure you leave some though, both for the birds and for you to enjoy from the window.  Evergreens work well and are a popular choice, but try supplementing your holly and ivy with something a bit different that gives you a variety of textures. Dried seedheads look great, or maybe try a winter arrangement of dried autumn leaves still on the branches. For best results, walk round the garden with a bucket of water and plunge all your fresh cuttings straight into it. Leave it all somewhere cool but frost-free until you’re ready to use it.

Once you’ve seen to the plants, spare a thought for the wildlife. If you have a pond, float a ball on the surface to stop it freezing over completely, as fish and plants will need the oxygen. Birds need water as well as food, but both must be kept clean or you risk spreading disease and doing more harm than good. Hanging feeders might therefore be a better option than bird tables. And last but not least, don’t forget the much-loved but rapidly-disappearing hedgehog. We all know to check bonfires before lighting them, but why not leave a pile of leaves and twigs in a quiet corner? Wildlife conservation aside, hedgehogs eat slugs, and when the precious green shoots of spring finally come through you’ll be pleased to have someone on your side!