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Help plants through winter
Kirsty Wilson is a supervisor at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and a presenter on BBC’s The Beechgrove Garden
A tender plant won’t survive winter outdoors in the UK, as it’s sensitive to frost and cold temperatures. Some plants are killed by just a light frost, while others can cope with long periods of low temperatures or harsh frosts. Some are killed by the combination of winter cold and wet weather.
Understanding a plant’s hardiness (how it copes with low temperatures) will help you select the right plants for your garden and ensure you know whether they need to be brought indoors during the colder months.
Q Which plants need winter protection and how can I provide it?
Any plants that aren’t hardy, which includes tender perennials (for example salvias, pelargoniums and cannas) and other plants from warmer climates, such as many succulents. to see the temperatures they will stand.
