Planning for Spring
Winter might be a quiet time in the garden, but it’s the perfect season to pause, reflect, and prepare. With fewer demands outdoors, there’s more room to think about what worked last season, what could change, and how you want your space to feel when spring arrives.
Whether you're updating a courtyard, styling a balcony, or simply refreshing a few garden pots and planters, here’s how to make the most of this in-between season.
1. Reflect on Last Season
What thrived? What felt overcrowded or underused? Jotting down a few reflections now, from plant performance to garden pot placement, will make spring planning feel less overwhelming later.
2. Clear, Clean, and Reimagine
Late winter is the perfect time to clear out tired or finished plants and refresh your space. You might not be digging yet, but you can consider how you’d like your garden or outdoor space to feel. Are you leaning towards a leafy screen for privacy, or dreaming of a sunny nook with table planters and seasonal blooms? You don’t need to start from scratch. Sometimes simply adding a tall ribbed planter, adjusting a few round pots, or reworking a cluster of garden pots can shift the entire mood.
3. Plan Your Plant-and-Pot Pairings
A good garden design is about balance, between foliage and form, texture and tone. Use the cooler months to explore which plant varieties work for your climate, and how they might look grouped in round pots, rectangular planters, or large garden pots.
If you're working with a compact space, fibreglass pots are a practical choice, they're easy to move and rearrange as your garden evolves. Adding a few hanging pots can also help maximise space, bringing greenery in without crowding the floor.
4. Consider Scale
It’s tempting to buy one-size-fits-all pots, but thoughtful choices around size and proportion make a big difference. Some plants need generous depth; others thrive in shallow, wide containers. Think ahead about root systems, visual weight, and how the large planters or tall planters will interact with nearby architecture or furniture.
Not sure which pot suits your plant best? Discover our go-to pairings.
5. Start Indoors
If you're eager to get started before the frost lifts, bring a bit of spring indoors. It’s a good time to pot up herbs or early vegetables in indoor planters and begin seeds in smaller containers. Choose lightweight planters so you can transition them outside when the time comes.
And if you’re working from home, consider how a few office planters, even a compact succulent pot, can bring calm and softness to your workspace.
6. Think Seasonally
Spring doesn’t arrive all at once, so your planting and styling shouldn’t, either. Layer in plants with staggered bloom times and mix vibrant flowers with foliage that offers texture year-round.
7. Source Smart
Winter is also a smart time to plan and source what you need. Shopping for plant pots, garden accessories, or outdoor planters in winter helps you avoid the spring rush.
8. Set Loose Goals
You don’t need to plan everything down to the last bloom, but it helps to have a few ideas in mind. Maybe it’s creating more privacy, softening edges, or adding a bold big garden pot to the front path. A few guiding ideas now will keep you focused when the planting begins.
Winter invites a slower pace, and with it, a chance to plan with intention. Whether you’re refreshing a few outdoor pots, mapping out indoor planter ideas, or considering a full garden planters overhaul, starting now means you’ll be ready to hit the ground running when spring arrives.
Small choices made in winter can help shape a garden that feels calm, cohesive, and entirely your own.
Photography by Nicholas Watt
