IF I talked about frost protection last week, then I should be talking about wind protection this week given that November ended with some very strong gales.

I even needed to recover my patio set from the neighbours’ garden.

Although there were a few broken tree branches about the place, it was good to see that most of the autumn leaves dispersed in the wind – even if my trees look very bare and wintry.

For many trees, the loss of their leaves can reveal hidden interest, such as the interesting patterns and textures of exposed tree bark seen on the Snake Bark Maple which has deep red bark with interspersed and contrasting white veins or the exfoliating bark of the Paperback Maple in which the bark peels and looks like ribbons hung from its trunk and larger branches.

Trees which lose their leaves during the autumn are known as deciduous trees and now is the perfect time for lifting and re-planting, or for buying new bare rooted trees for your garden. You will also find obtaining bare-rooted trees at this time of the year much cheaper than containerised ones.

Although in theory you can plant a containerised tree all year round, any bare rooted trees will need to be planted by late spring, and certainly before the buds break. Also the earlier in the dormant season you can plant then generally the better the tree will establish. Even during the cold weather conditions of winter, the tree roots will continue to slowly develop although you will see little evidence of this above the ground.

Trees which keep their leaves during winter are called evergreen trees. Unlike bare-rooted trees, evergreen trees are best left and planted in the late spring, because the cold winter winds tend to dry out the leaves causing them to dehydrate.

You might have seen this effect, especially on conifers. It is usually referred as wind scorch and it’s often seen on the windward side of the tree.

Another large plant which also comes into its own during the winter are the ornamental grasses, and one of these hardy grass plants that grows very well in our West Cumbrian environment is the New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax) and it’s a plant that has many interesting cultivars. The plant forms quite a large clump, producing large grass-like leaves which are sword shaped. Depending on the cultivar, these plants can grow between one and three metres tall, forming a large clump similar to that of Pampas grass.

New Zealand Flax is becoming very popular, thanks to recent breeding which has produced many new varieties. The plant is now available in a wide range of leaf colour and patterns. It is also an easy plant to grow in just about any soil condition. When established, it can create an attractive feature point in the garden border.

The New Zealand Flax was used by the Maoris for medical treatment; its sticky sap was applied to skin wounds and even used to ease toothache.The leaves themselves were often used for binding broken bones, and by matting the leaves these would be applied as a dressing. Even the roots provided an ointment that is applied to wounds as a disinfectant.

Phormiun tenx is a large and robust plant, producing thick and dark green leaves with a blue-green underside and is often seen growing in many public parks and gardens.

Phormium tenax Purpureum is the dark purple leaved form Phormium tenx.

Phormium tenx Dazzler is a smaller variety reaching only 90cms. It has especially colourful leaves with shades of deep reddish purple with a central band of rose-red. This particular variety will need some protection from frost and drought until it is well established, although it is well worth the effort.

Phormium tenx Jester is similar to Dazzler though the leaves have lighter shades with a green margin.

Phormium tenax Black Adder is a new introduction which is similar to Dazzler, growing to one metre, although this variety produces dark semi-glossy deep burgundy black foliage. Again it will need some protection from frost and drought until it is well established.