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been pushed out of the soil by the freeze, and are probably done for. Luckily most rows were covered with fleece or net-covered cloches, which are now bowed down with snow. I won't knock the snow off as it's acting like an insulating blanket, and also

in this pot as they'll happily mingle with one another. Just make sure the ivory thistle plants aren't too near the edge so they don't prick passers-by.AdamWhen using any metallic container, insulate the plants against extremes of temperature by lining

protective wall close by; otherwise, insulate the box with bubble polythene to protect the roots from frost.AdamCut the myrtle back in spring and give it a tidy-up after flowering. Keep a check on the campanulas as they will spread vigorously. Cut them back

and cane fruitsTake hardwood cuttings from healthy fruit bushesFruit & vegPlant hippeastrum bulbs for spring displays Insulate your greenhouse with bubble polytheneVentilate greenhouses on warm, dry daysGreenhouse20 minutesLearn how to make fat cakes

around the top of the cone. Thread generous lengths of wire through and twist to secure. Form a hook with the other ends.Before planting up the cone, line it with a layer of bubble wrap. This will act as insulation to stop plant roots baking if you hang

as much heat-producing body mass. But its surface area is now 24 cm², only four times as much skin surface through which to lose heat. Keep scaling this up and it's clear that the larger the bird (or other animal), the better insulated against the cold

degrees of frosty weather in between. I like to think a deep carpet of snow, although clearly at zero degrees or less, is actually insulating plants below from even colder air temperatures above. Hopefully no harm will come to the perennials and bulbs

I am not to have any plants yet in my garden. While a thick layer of snow can insulate plants from extremely low temperatures, its weight can cause branches to break. Then frozen ground prevents roots from taking up water, and plants can die from

, where birds such as sparrows can hunt for caterpillars and garden pests. A clean bird bath provides them with water to drink and clean their feathers (which enables them to insulate themselves against the cold).There’s nothing like that in my garden

warmth for early sowings. Of course I'll be keeping heat to a minimum, and insulating the greenhouse with bubble polythene to reduce heat loss, but my environmental conscience keeps asking me the same question.Looking at things another way, I wonder if it