What is going to happen in 2012? Well I can tell you with 100% certainty and without the help of a crystal ball!

I predict that your garden will be full of flowers, relaxing, plentiful and will offer you many new discoveries; of course, you will need to dedicate a little time to it. Put those everyday worries aside, put your boots on and get outside, for the nature lovers amongst us gardening will help us forget those other niggles! Not only will it do us good but also it will allow us time to prepare those future flowers and other little treats. In effect, it will have a double benefit.

Besides the garden needs us at the beginning of this year. Last autumn was so mild that a lot of the work was put back and still needs to be done. This is the case for the rose bushes some of which still had flowers at Christmas. They now need pruning so that the next generation of roses can appear. Do not forget either those winter treatments needed in the orchard: spraying with liquid sulphur and winter oil. Both these treatments are environmentally friendly and help prevent a good number of diseases, especially as a wet autumn encourages springtime attacks. The mild autumn has also encouraged the weeds to grow more than normal this winter. The weather conditions over the last few months have been very favorable to the proliferation of spreading weeds that will turn your borders into a lawn by spring if nothing is done to stop them. A bit of weeding is really worth the effort, if you are brave enough and wrap up warm. Whether it is cold or wet, winter always has its bad points!

Of course, think about the plants that you need either new ones or replacements. In every garden, it is normal to see a shrub die now and again. It is not necessarily a disease that caused it, as plants are not eternal. However, it is best to grow a different type of plant in its place, so as not to encourage disease. This gives you the chance to discover new types of plant, different shapes of flowers and various colours. Try to be positive: taking a small risk in the garden helps break the routine… Earlier I predicted that you would make new discoveries and I did not lie. Happy New Year for 2012 and let’s carry on together!