Why winter is the best time to prepare for spring landscaping

Planning new garden projects in spring often feels like a race. By the time you decide you need a new fence, trellis or pergola, everyone is booked, lead times have stretched, and your planting window is slipping away.
Winter garden planning flips that completely.

When the garden is quieter and the borders have died back, you can see the bones of your space with real clarity. It is the perfect moment to think about structure, privacy and layout, and to get any new fencing, trellis panels or bespoke joinery designed and scheduled so they are in place before early spring planting begins.

This guide will walk you through how to approach winter garden planning, and how to make the most of the season to get your fencing, trellis and bespoke features ready in good time.

Why winter garden planning pays off

Winter is when professional garden designers and landscapers do much of their strategic thinking, and there are good reasons homeowners should do the same.

Here are a few of the advantages.

1. You can actually see your garden’s structure

With leaves down and herbaceous planting cut back, boundary lines, level changes and awkward corners are all more obvious. It becomes much easier to:

• Spot tired or leaning fencing that needs replacing
• See over-exposed seating areas that lack privacy
• Identify blank walls or fences crying out for trellis and climbers

This clarity makes decisions about fencing and trellis far more straightforward than in midsummer when foliage hides the issues.

2. You beat the spring rush

By planning and commissioning projects in winter, you get ahead of the peak demand for:

• New fencing
• Trellis panels and privacy screening
• Bespoke joinery such as pergolas, bin stores, seating and planters

This means better choice of installation dates, more time for made to measure items, and less risk of missing the ideal planting window.

3. Structures can be ready before planting time

Good garden design works from the structure outwards. If you install fencing, trellis and bespoke features first, you can:

• Plant climbers straight into their final positions in early spring
• Design borders around finished boundaries, not guesswork
• Avoid trampling young plants while work is carried out

That is the real power of winter garden planning: your garden starts spring with its framework already in place.

Take stock of your garden while it is bare

A simple winter walk around your garden, preferably with a notebook or phone in hand, is the best starting point.

Ask yourself:

• Where do I feel overlooked or exposed?
• Which fences or panels look tired, patched or mismatched?
• Are there areas that feel windswept or lacking in shelter?
• Could climbing plants be used more effectively for height and interest?

Focus particularly on boundaries and key viewpoints from inside the house. These are the places where quality fencing, trellis and joinery will work hardest.

You may find:

• Ageing panel fencing that could be upgraded to decorative slatted fence panels
• Gaps between gardens that need subtle privacy trellis rather than solid screening
• Plain walls that would come to life with square or diagonal trellis and a single well chosen climber

Capture these thoughts now, while the structure is obvious and before spring growth disguises problem areas.

Planning new fencing for spring and beyond

Fencing does far more than mark a boundary. The right design sets the tone for the whole garden and affects how private, secure and welcoming the space feels.

Winter is an excellent time to plan changes because you can:

• See exactly where light falls in low sun, helping you choose fence heights wisely
• Check ground levels, retaining walls and existing posts while vegetation is minimal
• Consider the overall look from both house and garden without summer clutter

When planning fencing, think about:

Style and character

• For a traditional scheme, classic timber fencing or picket fencing pairs beautifully with cottage-style planting.
• For a more contemporary feel, horizontal slatted fence panels offer clean lines and elegant privacy without feeling oppressive.

If you are investing for the long term, explore the Prestige fencing range, designed as an architectural feature rather than an afterthought.

Cohesion with gates and trellis

Winter is also the right moment to think holistically about your boundaries. Matching styles across:

• Garden gates
• Fence panels
• Trellis toppers and screens

creates a calm, coherent backdrop that makes planting shine. Designing these as a family now, rather than in separate phases, results in a much more polished finish.

Materials and longevity

Timber choice matters, particularly in the British climate. High quality, properly treated timber, including thermally modified options used in the Prestige range, offers improved stability and durability with minimal movement. That translates into fencing and trellis that stay straighter and smarter for longer, with less maintenance over time.

Planning this in winter gives you time to consider finishes and colours too, so panels can be factory painted or finished ahead of installation if you prefer.

Trellis panels that are ready for early spring planting

Trellis panels are one of the most versatile tools in winter garden planning. They are far easier to install when borders are quiet and the ground is relatively bare, and once in place, they are ready and waiting for early spring climbers.

Here are a few ways to use trellis as part of your winter plans.

Support for climbers and edibles

If you dream of:

• Clematis threading through a traditional square trellis
• Scented roses on an arched trellis backdrop
• Sweet peas or runner beans along a sunny fence

it is far better to get the structure in over winter. That way, you can plant directly against the finished trellis as soon as the soil warms, rather than trying to retrofit support for plants that are already growing.

Elegant privacy without heavy walls

Trellis is ideal where you want more seclusion but do not want to lose light or air.

Consider:

• Full height privacy trellis panels around a terrace or dining area
• Trellis toppers added to existing walls or fencing for a little extra height
• Painted trellis panels to create a soft, layered screen with room for greenery

Planning these now allows time to choose patterns, gaps and colours that feel right, especially in smaller gardens where every line matters.

Contemporary slatted trellis

If your home has a modern or renovated feel, you might lean towards contemporary slatted designs. These offer:

• Strong horizontal lines that echo modern architecture
• Flexible privacy, thanks to the spacing between slats
• A refined, gallery style backdrop for pots, sculpture and structural planting

They can be used as stand alone screens or combined with classic trellis elsewhere for a balanced mix of traditional and modern elements.

Thinking bigger with bespoke garden joinery

For many gardens, the real transformation comes when you look beyond standard panels and think in terms of bespoke joinery. Winter is precisely when those conversations should happen.

Bespoke garden joinery covers pieces like:

• Made to measure pergolas and covered walkways
• Custom bin and log stores designed to match your fencing
• Built in seating and planters that define entertaining areas
• Decorative screens and features tailored to tricky spaces or unusual levels

These items take time to design, draw, manufacture and finish. If you begin the process as part of your winter garden planning, you give yourself the best chance of having everything ready for the first warm weekends of spring.

The Garden Trellis Company’s bespoke joinery craftsmanship service allows you to:

• Work with experienced designers and joiners on a solution tailored to your garden
• Use high quality, carefully treated timber suited to UK conditions
• Coordinate styles and finishes with your chosen fencing and trellis

Think of bespoke joinery as the layer that turns a practical garden into a truly personal retreat.

A simple winter planning framework

Without drifting into DIY installation, it is helpful to have a clear process for winter garden planning around fencing, trellis and joinery.

You could follow a structure like this.

1. Clarify how you want to use the garden

Decide what matters most in the next few years.

• More privacy and seclusion
• Better entertaining space
• Safer boundaries for children or pets
• A stronger focus on planting and wildlife

Your priorities will shape where investment in new fencing or trellis delivers the most value.

2. Map the space

Create a simple sketch of your garden from above, noting:

• Boundaries and existing structures
• Key views from windows and doors
• Areas of strong sun or deep shade in winter

This does not need to be technical. It simply helps you see where new panels, screens or structures might sit.

3. Gather visual inspiration

Look at examples of:

• Traditional trellis and picket styles for classic schemes
• Slatted and decorative fence panels for contemporary gardens
• Integrated schemes that match gates, fencing and trellis

This is the point to decide whether you want a soft, romantic feel or something more pared back and architectural.

4. Talk to the experts early

Once you have a clear sense of your garden and your style, winter is the ideal time to:

• Discuss options with The Garden Trellis Company team
• Explore standard ranges alongside bespoke solutions
• Get advice on materials, heights and layouts that work for your specific space

The earlier this happens, the easier it is to secure survey visits, production slots and installation dates before peak season.

5. Book work to align with planting time

The goal of winter garden planning is simple. You want key structures in place by the time:

• The soil has warmed
• Garden centres are full of plants
• You are ready to start sowing and planting in earnest

By scheduling fencing, trellis and joinery projects for late winter or very early spring, you begin the growing season with the hard work already done.

Design ideas to feed into your winter plans

To spark your thinking, here are a few structure led ideas that work especially well when planned over winter.

• Create a sheltered dining corner using taller privacy trellis and a matching gate, with climbing jasmine or roses planted in spring.
• Upgrade a tired boundary to coordinated Prestige fencing and a statement gate, instantly lifting the whole garden.
• Introduce vertical interest in a small garden with slim trellis panels behind pots and planters, ready for scented climbers.
• Frame a garden path or view with a bespoke pergola, designed now so structure and planting mature together.
• Tidy practical areas using slatted screens and custom bin or log stores that match your main fencing for a consistent, considered look.

Each of these schemes relies on a structure that is far easier to plan and commission when the garden is quiet, not when you are in the middle of summer hosting and watering.

Ready to start your winter garden planning?

Winter is not a dead season in the garden. It is the thinking season, when you can stand back, be honest about what is not working, and design a framework that will support your garden for years to come.

By using the quieter months to plan and book new fencing, trellis panels and bespoke joinery, you:

• Beat the spring rush
• Make more confident design decisions
• Start spring with a garden that is ready to plant, not ready for disruption

If you are ready to explore what is possible, browse our ranges of fencing, trellis panels and bespoke garden joinery, or get in touch with The Garden Trellis Company team to discuss your winter garden planning in more detail.