For so many of us, once the temperatures drop, we consider this the end of the gardening season. But why not create interest in the garden in winter, even if you are enjoying the view through a window? There's absolutely no reason why your garden can't be exciting in winter.

Well known gardens such as RHS Harlow Carr, Bressingham, Bodnant, Anglesey Abbey, Hillier's and Cambridge Botanics have all got dedicated areas in their gardens for winter borders, and although these areas are on a larger scale than your average garden, you can take inspiration for plant combinations and reproduce them on a smaller scale.

Some key things to consider in a winter garden are scent (Sarcococca, Hamamelis, Daphne, Chimonanthus and Lonicera fragrantissima are all good options, it's worth planting them close by a path or door, so you will get to smell the fragrance as much as possible), stem colour (as in Cornus, Salix and Acers), or bark (Prunus serrula for it's rich burgundy striped bark, Acer griseum for it's peeling papery bark and Betula utulis var. jacquemontii for it's vivid white bark are but a few examples).

Evergreen shrubs and conifers will provide year round interest but come into their own in winter, providing much needed structure to the garden. By combining plants with different leaf shapes and conifers with different forms and colours, (blue, green, golden, some even go a burnt orange) you can create a really interesting border. Grasses add movement and texture or in the case of lower growing grasses, such as Festuca glauca, provide colour and ground cover. Winter flowering heathers create a carpet of colour as the understorey of the planting, and Hellebores flower any time between November through into spring depending on the variety and come in a wide range of colours. Early flowering bulbs such as snowdrops, winter aconites and Iris reticulata will appear like little gems in the garden, often poking through the snow when we have a wintry spell.

You can also add interest to the winter garden by using bright, colourful pots, or with features such as bird baths, sundials, arbours, arches, and garden ornaments. These can act as focal points around the garden. With clever planting and interesting features your garden can be a wonderful place to be, even on the coldest of days!