Dishing the dirt

Winter’s arrival may conjure up images of the indoors, snuggled up fireside with a good book or Netflix series. But green thumbs know winter is not the time to retire the gumboots and secateurs. Instead, it’s an opportune moment to prepare for the flowering seasons.

Whether it’s a full-scale landscape or pre-spring spruce up, here’s our pick for the handiest gardening trends, tools and tips to help you in the garden this winter

The Tip: Let’s landscape
With summer foliage long departed, June and early July marks the best time to re-think your landscaping. Perhaps you’ve been eyeing up a new spot for a vegetable garden, want to plant some citrus, or relocate some shrubs and small trees. Now is the time to do it.

The Tool: Garden carts
Move over wheelbarrows, there’s a new yard companion making tracks. Often sporting four wheels with an extendable handle, the gardening cart is gaining traction as a functional addition to your shed designed to make your days in the garden easier.
While wheelbarrows have long been the go-to for carting gardening waste, soils and tools, the flat bed of a cart is perfect for also moving more delicate items like pots and plants. Some models even come with lids which can double as a seat or bench.
When looking for a gardening cart you may want to consider its ability to bear weight with a sturdy chassis; its manoeuvrability with pivoting wheels, and how easily it can tilt and dump your contents.

The Trend: Indoor plants
If there’s no landscaping to be done, why not indulge that desire to turn your attention indoors and embrace the greenery trend of the decade: houseplants. The addition of indoor greenery to home, retail and commercial spaces is a gardening trend that just won’t quit. And there’s no better time to bring your gardening indoors than over the chilly, wet wintry months. Not only do houseplants freshen up your space, there’s a bunch of evidence interior vegetation can provide psychological benefits like stress-reduction, boosting creative thinking, and reducing anxiety. As many indoor plant parents will know, it’s always important to ensure your houseplants are well placed for sunlight, watered regularly and get enough access to warmer temperatures.