Not sure what to do in winter? 'Try spring catalogues'

16:22 7th January 2011

One gardening expert has revealed her favourite past-time in the winter months - flicking through the newly arrived spring catalogues.

In an article for Montclair Patch, Katie Payne revealed she carries them around constantly, highlighting and circling the plants she will order for later in the year.

"These ratty things are like a drug that gets me through the thick of winter," she explained.

Mail-order catalogues are ideal, Ms Payne continued, as they can introduce gardeners to plants they had not heard of before.

When purchasing this way, though, buyers must make sure the company guarantees the delivery will arrive in good condition, she warned.

Plants can often become damaged during shipping so it is important to have reassurance goods will be replaced if things go wrong, the expert said.

Overall, she remarked, buying from a brochure is well worth a try, adding: "Once you start, you may never go back to buying big, expensive plants at the nursery."

Gardeners should maximise their time in winter by preparing thoroughly for the year to come, DIY Matters commented recently.