As the title suggests, this post is all about getting the garden ready for winter, which, if it’s anything like last year, came early and severely, long before Xmas.

Tender plants have been re-potted into more manageable pots and are now spending their nights in the conservatory. Soon they will be spending their days there too.

The said conservatory, which we use as a greenhouse, has been cleared, cleaned and disinfected. The best of our 2 benches has been put inside so I can paint it before I finally arrange all the plants around it for the winter.

This afternoon I cut the long grass at the far end of the field, hopefully for the last time this year. The day was sunny and not too hot, so ideal for flinging a Flymo around.

As I said this is supposed to be about preparations for winter, and so it was, until 3pm when I found myself picking strawberries. I kid you not, 12 big, fat, juicy, strawberries in October.

You couldn’t make it up.