Winter is coming! Even as temperatures drop, gardens brim with hidden life—waiting for the right touch to help them flourish through winter. Join RHS and Great Dixter-trained gardener and garden designer Lauren Ware for a hands-on workshop to guide you through the essentials of preparing your garden for the colder months—and to inspire new ways of looking at the opportunities of this quiet season in the garden.

During this two-hour workshop, we’ll uncover both practical winterizing techniques and deeper perspectives on your garden’s biodiversity during its unique winter ecosystem. Topics we’ll dig into include: top tips to protect your plants, jobs for the season, pest prevention tactics that can give your spring garden a healthy head start, succession planting and layering for winter colour, mulch recipes tailored to your garden, tool TLC, the undercover processes of beneficial soil microbes in winter, and creative ways winter prep can help wildlife. We’ll also explore the beauty of senescence—the natural ‘dying back’ period that’s full of life lessons for gardeners and vital benefits for ecosystems. Bring your questions and reflections—there will be time for discussion and specific advice throughout. 

Whether you’re tending houseplants, balcony pots, raised beds, an allotment, or a larger mixed garden, this workshop offers something for everyone. Open to anyone curious about what winter can offer, this session is tailored for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike. Embrace winter as a time to nurture your garden’s hidden rhythms and set the stage for a flourishing spring!