Advice
Protecting tender plants over winter
Wallside
plants
Training against a wall gives protection, but not against severe weather conditions. Protect lower stems of tender climbers (e.g. Eccremocarpus, Passiflora, Solanum) by packing bracken or straw around the plants. Hold this in place with canes and hessian, fleece or netting. If practical, detach young flexible growth from supports, gathering them together compactly to protect the whole plant.
Exposed sites
Tender woody plants such as Callistemon
and Pittosporum that are growing in
open situations and therefore exposed to cold, drying winds
require protection. Protect smaller ones by constructing a
rigid frame of bamboo canes around the plant, packing around
with bracken or straw and covering with netting (see photograph
above). 
Add a temporary waterproof cover in wet periods.
Surround larger plants with a 5-7.5cm (2-3in) layer of bracken sandwiched between lengths of wire netting (see photograph right) . Add a detachable lid in severe conditions. Protect the growing points of cordylines from frost.
Protecting
roots
Frozen ground prevents normal winter root action of evergreens, and if exposed to cold, drying winds foliage soon becomes desiccated. Protect the root area with a 5-7.5cm (2-3in) mulch of leaf-litter or bark (see photograph left).
Herbaceous/bulbous plants
Apply a thick leaf-litter mulch to protect young shoots of lilies from spring frosts. Similarly protect globe artichokes or unlifted dahlia tubers.
Further information
Search for suppliers of plants with the online RHS Plant Finder.
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