The Horticultural Trades Association has released its next seasonal Your Garden Year toolkit to help the garden industry and media share a consistent, positive message with consumers: late winter is not a pause in the gardening year, but a hopeful moment to notice new signs of life, enjoy time outdoors and prepare for spring.

The campaign encourages gardeners to make the most of one of the year's most hopeful moments, when snowdrops, crocuses and hellebores begin to flower, buds start to swell and gardens quietly come back to life. It brings together practical, consumer-friendly themes, including late-winter clean-ups, lawn recovery, planting trees, shrubs, and early-flowering plants, winter structure, fragrance, and wildlife-aware tidying. Ready-to-use content helps members and communicators encourage gardeners to start small, feel confident and enjoy the simple jobs that make outdoor spaces feel brighter before the growing season begins.

Available to download now, the campaign gives the sector time to prepare content and stock around practical late-winter activity. It highlights that quieter months are an opportunity to properly look at trees and shrubs, spot gaps or problem areas, tidy up after winter weather, plant trees, shrubs, hedging, bare-root roses, and fruit bushes, and brighten gardens with flowering bulbs and seasonal containers. It also encourages gardeners to enjoy the first colour and fragrance of the year, from snowdrops and crocuses to hellebores, witch hazel and viburnum, while supporting early pollinators before spring arrives.

Used together, the themes can help consumers see winter gardening as useful, achievable and enjoyable, with practical jobs to do now followed by spring-preparation projects, including:

• Trees, shrubs, planting and garden structure – using winter visibility to assess shape, spot gaps, check for damage and identify pruning, planting or support needs.
• Clean Up and Win – clearing debris, refreshing borders, repairing tired areas and creating a clean, usable space before spring growth begins.
• Reclaim your Lawn – reviving lawns that have become compacted, mossy, patchy or waterlogged after rain, frost and heavy use.
• A New You, a New Garden! – using the quieter months to plan improvements and think about how the space could work better once spring arrives. 

The free toolkit includes ready-to-use copy and assets for websites, social media, email marketing, in-store communications and editorial channels, making it easier to keep seasonal advice clear, practical and joined up.

Elia Johnston, HTA Director of Membership and Marketing, said: “There is still lots to do in the garden before spring, and winter can be one of the most rewarding times to step back, enjoy the space and see what needs attention.

“Trees, shrubs and the structure of the garden are often easier to assess now, and it’s also an ideal time for planting trees, shrubs and bare-root roses, alongside the clean-up, lawn care and planning jobs that help gardeners get ready for the season ahead.

“Your Garden Year gives the sector a shared set of resources to help customers turn those ideas into enjoyable action.”

The Your Garden Year Winter toolkit is available for free, with downloadable blog copy, social media assets and SEO support designed to help businesses engage customers and drive seasonal sales.

Developed by the HTA Retail Committee, Your Garden Year provides a clear, week-by-week structure to support consistent messaging across the sector, helping guide gardeners through the seasons, sustain engagement and grow the market. The winter toolkit reminds gardeners that every new shoot and swelling bud signals that spring is on its way, making late winter the perfect time to prepare for the growing season ahead.

Further details and access to resources and assets are available at hta.org.uk/your-garden-year.