As the crisp air settles over Daylesford, Victoria, and the last of the autumn leaves tumble to the ground, winter offers a quietly powerful pause for gardeners. While your garden may look like it’s sleeping, it’s preparing for a springtime show. With a little love and planning now, you’ll be rewarded with a garden that sings with colour, scent, and life come September.

At The Secret Garden of Daylesford, based at The Mill Markets – 105 Central Springs Road, Daylesford, we see winter as an invitation to reflect, restore and reimagine what’s possible in your garden. Whether you’re tending to a few pots or a sprawling plot, winter is your moment to lay the groundwork for a flourishing spring.

1. Clear, Clean and Compost

Begin with a reset. Remove spent annuals, tidy perennials (leaving some seed heads for hungry birds), and clear fallen leaves. Compost what you can or use it as a natural mulch to warm the soil. Bonus points for giving your tools a good clean and sharpening your secateurs.

2. Feed the Soil, Not Just the Plants

Victorian gardens thrive on healthy, living soil. Winter is the ideal time to dig in compost, aged manure or organic soil improvers. If you’re leaving beds bare, consider a green manure crop—this will help fix nitrogen and enrich the soil in time for spring planting.

3. Plan Your Planting

Cosy up indoors with a hot cuppa and your gardening notebook. What worked last year? What didn’t? What do you dream of growing this spring? From rambling roses to abundant veggie beds, winter is a great time to sketch out your garden vision. Need ideas or advice? Pop into The Secret Garden of Daylesford—Lou is always ready to chat plants, and help you choose varieties suited to Daylesford’s cool climate.

4. Start Some Seeds Early

Beat the frost by starting seeds indoors or in a greenhouse. Tomatoes, capsicums, zinnias and cosmos can all be started in trays now and planted out in early spring. We have everything you need in the nursery to get started.

5. Prune with Purpose

Now is the time to prune deciduous trees and shrubs like roses, fruit trees, and hydrangeas. A good winter prune sets the stage for strong spring growth. Not sure what to cut and what to leave? Ask Lou—she’s our resident pruning queen and always happy to lend advice.

6. Frost-Proof Your Favourites

Daylesford’s winters can be frosty, so take steps to protect tender plants. Move delicate pots under cover, mulch generously, and use frost cloth where needed. Check your irrigation systems to avoid icy surprises.

7. Encourage Winter Wildlife

Create little sanctuaries for birds, bees and beneficial insects. Winter-flowering plants like hellebores, wattles and grevilleas offer food and beauty. Add a nesting box or water source to keep your garden buzzing with life, even in the coldest months.

Save the Date: Open Garden Weekend 2025!

We’re thrilled to announce the return of our much-loved Open Garden Weekend at The Secret Garden of Daylesford. Mark your calendar:

🗓 Saturday 8th November, 2025 – 9:30am to 6:00pm

🗓 Sunday 9th November, 2025 – 9:30am to 2:00pm

Come wander the garden in full spring bloom, enjoy live music, local food, and pick up treasures from our pop-up nursery. It’s a celebration of all things green, local and lovely—and a chance to connect with fellow plant lovers in the heart of Daylesford, Victoria.

🎟 Book early and save!

All early bird bookings before 1st October receive a 10% voucher to use at our pop-up nursery during the event.

Lou’s Tip from the Garden Shed:

“Don’t be too tidy—leaving a few messy corners helps insects overwinter and builds healthier garden ecosystems in spring.”

Whether you're pruning, planning, or planting, winter is your secret weapon for spring garden success. Come visit us at The Secret Garden of Daylesford, inside The Mill Markets – 105 Central Springs Road, Daylesford, open every day from 10:00am to 6:00pm.

🌱 See you soon—your next garden treasure is waiting!