Winter is the time when evergreen ground covers really earn their keep.

Often plants touted as great groundcovers for shady spots, such as hostas, agapanthus, trachelospermum, lily of the valley and ferns don’t stand up to New England winters very well. Take a look around your garden and consider replacing any that are not up to scratch.

Good performers include epimedium, iris cristata, hellebores, liriope, mondo grass (ophiopogon - not the dwarf variety which takes ages to grow), Viola hederacea (violets), Dichondra repens (kidney weed), scleranthus (emerald cushion), hedera (ivy), comfrey, Saguina subulata (Scotch or Irish moss) and many of the prostrate grevillias.

Of course, some groundcovers that do their job of spreading are a problem in the wrong place and can end up on the list of invasive-plants. Check the list of weeds that are declared noxious for our local region at http://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/

Maintain your tools:

Winter is the ideal time to give your gardening tools and equipment some additional care.

Remove caked mud from the metal parts of shovels, spades, forks, hoes and trowels, wash and dry them and then spray with WD40 or rub with an oily rag. Rubbing linseed oil into the wooden handles will help preserve them.

Sharpen cutting tools with a hone or whetstone and keep the blades of shovels, spades and trowels sharp with a file to remove nicks and smooth the edges. It is also a good time to clean, sharpen and service mechanical tools. Check electrical tools are safe and properly insulated and replace any damaged power cords. Your local electrician can test and tag your electrical equipment to be thoroughly sure it is safe.

Nectar for the birds:

Take a look around your garden to see what is a source of food, especially for the small native birds.

Many of our native shrubs not only provide nectar in winter but also have dense foliage that provides good nesting sites for small birds. Many of the wattles, callistemons (bottlebrushes) and grevilleas flower throughout winter; also some banksias and hakeas. The grevilleas provide great, safe nesting sites and some seem to flower endlessly through winter to the delight of the small native birds.

The Armidale Garden Club meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7.30pm in the Uniting Church Hall. New members and visitors are most welcome.