Winter’s a good time to plan where evergreen plants and hedges might go to give the garden interest in the cooler months, writes gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.

ONCE all the leaves have fallen, winter shows the structure of the garden and it’s a good time to think about what changes to make to improve the space. 

It is also a good time to plan where evergreen plants and hedges might go to give the garden interest in the cooler months. 

Hedges can be used in many ways and not just a border plant for privacy. They can be helpful for embankments, slopes and soil erosion or flowering swathes in the garden. 

Most importantly, hedges make useful homes for unique habitats to nest, breed and hibernate. The larger the leaf, the more informal the hedge can be; the smaller the leaf, the more formal the hedge, the more trimming is required. 

Most plants will need at least a little bit of sun in the winter to survive, so observing shadows in winter helps with plant choices beside hedges.

When digging the soil over for planting a hedge, a trench is beneficial for smaller plants. Larger plants can be planted in separate holes so choose what is best for what you are planting. 

The compact evergreen Teucrium fruticans is a terrific drought-tolerant plant that thrives in full sun. A magnet for bees, it has strong, grey foliage with beautiful blue flowers in the spring and summer. It comes from the mint family, so it’s tough and a long-lived plant. 

Hedges can take from three to five years to establish, so careful planning and plant choices are important; the higher the hedge the higher the maintenance. Site preparation can be done now for planting in spring. 

There are so many shrubs to choose from including dwarf varieties, such as Abelias, Choisyas or Correas. Small hedges are also great for pots as a moveable screen on a balcony. 

OLIVES can be harvested from now to early winter and picked when they are nearly ripe or have begun to change colour from purple to black.

Harvesting small fruits from trees can be tricky. Lay a tarp or bird netting under the tree and dislodge the fruit with a rake. 

Popular varieties that grow well in our region are Manzanilla (Spanish) and Kalamata (Greek). They can both survive hot summers and cold winters. They are self-fertile and will produce more fruit if there is a pollinator nearby. 

Olives can be grown in pots as standards, topiaries or as an espalier. To keep olive trees productive, they need a general-purpose fertiliser and consistent watering while the fruit is growing. 

Planting olive trees is preferred in autumn, but can be done in spring and established before the hot summer weather comes. 

Dig a hole twice the size of the pot, add compost to the hole and mix in with the existing soil. Olive trees are not fussed with acid or alkaline soil but will not tolerate wet feet and can live for long periods with dry weather. 

Olives need to be processed within three days to prevent them going sour, but knowing if you want to brine them or press them will determine when they should be picked. 

Jottings 

• Grape vines and wisteria can be pruned now.
• Prune Kiwi fruit vines the same way as wisteria.
• Liquid fertilise leafy greens in the veggie patch.
• Deadhead winter-flowering plants such as cyclamens, bergenias and pansies to encourage flowering.