Winter garden prep in Exeter
Professional winter garden prep services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£110-£210
Typical Duration
2-4 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
Complete winter garden preparation - furniture stored, plants protected, gutters cleared, everything secured against winter weather. Prevent damage rather than repair it in spring.
Don't Wait for the First Frost
Every spring the same thing happens. You go outside and discover what the winter destroyed - cracked pots, ruined furniture, dead plants.
Bit of prep in autumn prevents all that. An afternoon's work now beats expensive replacements in March.
💡 Pro tip: Book winter prep just after the clocks go back (late October). Perfect timing before weather turns properly nasty.
Why Bother With Winter Prep?
Because replacing frost-cracked pots and ruined furniture in spring costs way more than protecting them in autumn.
| ✅ Properly Prepared | ❌ Left to Chance |
|---|---|
| Furniture protected, lasts years | Frost damage, warped wood, rust |
| Plants survive winter | Dead by February |
| Gutters flowing freely | Overflow damaging walls |
| Ready to enjoy garden in spring | Facing expensive repairs and replacements |
What You Get
🔧 The Full Service
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Store | Furniture into shed/garage or properly covered |
| Protect | Tender plants moved, wrapped, or covered |
| Clear | Gutters, drains, and downpipes checked and cleared |
| Secure | Fence panels checked, loose items stored |
📦 You're Left With
- Garden furniture protected from winter damage
- Vulnerable plants given best chance of survival
- Water flowing where it should (not down your walls)
- Fence panels and structures secured
- Garden ready for whatever winter throws at it
Pricing Guide
| Garden Size | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Small courtyard/patio | 2 hrs | £110 |
| Average town garden | 3 hrs | £160 |
| Large garden with lots to protect | 4 hrs | £210 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Time depends on how much furniture, how many pots, extent of gutter clearing needed.
Perfect For Your Garden If...
✅ Autumn approaching - get ahead of winter
✅ Nice furniture outside - worth protecting properly
✅ Tender plants - want them to survive till spring
✅ Older property - can't afford gutter overflow damaging walls
Why Choose Us for Winter garden prep in Exeter?
Garden furniture stored or protected
Vulnerable plants covered or moved
Gutters and drains cleared before winter
Everything protected from frost and storms
What to Expect
Step 1: Survey & Plan
Walk the garden together, identify what needs protecting or storing, check gutters and drains, spot any vulnerable areas.
Step 2: Store & Protect
Furniture into storage or properly covered. Pots moved to shelter, tender plants wrapped in fleece, hoses drained and stored.
Step 3: Clear & Secure
Gutters cleared of leaves, downpipes checked, fence panels secured, anything loose stored away. Garden battened down for winter.
🔧 DIY Tips
Want to prep your own garden for winter? Here's the essential list:
🔧 Priority jobs
- Store or cover all garden furniture
- Clear gutters completely (before leaves get soggy and stuck)
- Drain and store hoses (frost will split them)
- Turn off outside taps or lag them
- Move tender plants to shelter
- Wrap delicate shrubs in horticultural fleece
📐 Furniture protection
- Best: store in shed/garage (completely protected)
- Good: dedicated furniture covers (breathable, not tarpaulins)
- Okay: stack and cover with weighted tarp (not ideal but better than nothing)
- Bad: leave it out uncovered (winter will ruin it)
✂️ Plant protection
- Hardy plants: nothing needed, they'll be fine
- Tender perennials: move to sheltered spot against house
- Pots: raise on feet so they drain (frost cracks waterlogged pots)
- Vulnerable shrubs: wrap in fleece loosely (needs to breathe)
- Bring really tender stuff indoors (geraniums, citrus, etc)
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Waiting till after first frost (too late for some damage)
- Wrapping plants too tightly (causes rot)
- Forgetting to drain hoses (they split when water freezes)
- Leaving gutters till spring (overflow damages walls all winter)
- Cheap tarpaulins on furniture (trap moisture, cause mould)
💡 Pro trick: Empty and clean pots now, store them dry and stacked. Takes up less space and they won't crack from frost. Replant fresh in spring.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🍂 Combination service? Get autumn garden tidy and winter prep done together. Clear the leaves, sort the beds, protect everything - all in one visit.
Mild winters? Devon winters are getting milder but we still get hard frosts and storms. The one year you don't bother is the year everything gets wrecked.
Older Exeter gardens with mature plants are worth protecting properly. Some of those shrubs have survived decades - don't lose them to one bad winter through lack of prep.
Spring reversal? Book me to uncover, unpack, and get everything out again in March. Like winter prep but backwards - suddenly you've got a garden again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does winter garden prep actually involve?
Store or cover garden furniture, protect tender plants, clear gutters and drains, put away hoses and outdoor taps, check fence panels are secure. Basically make sure winter weather won't wreck everything you've got outside.
When should I do winter garden prep?
October or early November is ideal - after summer's definitely done but before the first hard frosts. If you leave it till December you're probably already dealing with damage rather than preventing it.
Do I need to provide storage for furniture?
If you've got a shed or garage I'll use that. Otherwise I can help you cover furniture with tarpaulins or stack it in a sheltered spot. Proper winter covers for good furniture are worth buying.
What about my plants - will they survive?
Depends what they are. Hardy stuff will be fine, tender plants need protecting or bringing in. I can move pots to sheltered spots, wrap vulnerable plants in fleece, or help you identify what needs special attention.
Can you check my gutters as part of this?
Yes - clearing gutters before winter is essential. Blocked gutters overflowing onto walls all winter causes serious damage. I'll clear them and make sure downpipes are flowing freely.
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