Getting your garden ready for winter

The autumn jobs that protect a garden and a home over winter, and the ones worth doing before the first frost.

A few hours in autumn saves a lot of work in spring, and prevents some of the winter problems that reach the house rather than staying in the garden.

Before the first frost

• Clear leaves off the lawn and out of gutters and gullies, where they cause damp and blockages.
• Cut the grass a last time on a dry day, a little higher than usual.
• Lift and store tender plants, and protect pots that could crack in a freeze.
• Drain or lag outside taps and disconnect hoses so a frozen pipe does not split.

Worth doing while it is quiet

• A last hedge cut, now the nesting season is over.
• Cutting back perennials and turning the compost.
• Checking fence posts and panels before the winter storms find the weak ones.

Seasonal garden tidying, clearance and fencing repair are all listed under gardening on Halo Hive.

Book a gardener

Last reviewed 2026-09-28.