THE WINTER GARDEN

It might be December, but do leave some time for your garden. James Reynolds offers some advice on protecting plants in the cold weather, gardening maintenance and planning ahead for the forthcoming season

You might be guilty of assuming that December is a dormant time for gardens, suspended in a frozen state as festivities proceed, waiting in stasis for the new year’s frost-defying show of snowdrops, winterflowering honeysuckle and witch hazel. This month is indeed a quieter one in the garden, but there are a number of things you can do to keep things shipshape outside as well as starting some essential preparation for the gardening year ahead.

As soon as frosty weather arrives, be alert for shrubs and plants that don’t deal with the cold so well. Relocate plants in permanent pots to a warmer spot if temperatures drop, as their roots are more vulnerable to the elements. And containers that stay outdoors all winter need to be raised up with pot feet so they don’t get waterlogged.

For tender plants that can’t be moved in cold weather, wrap them up to give them protection during a cold spell. Materials such as fleece, hessian, bracken, straw and polystyrene can be used to insulate tender plants such as Cyatheales (tree ferns), Musa (banana plants), Pittosporum and Cestrum (jessamine), as well as Ficus (ornamental figs) where the embryonic fruit should be wrapped to protect it from the cold.

Now is also a good time to assess the wooden elements in your garden and to repair fences and gates, and apply a wood preservative to prevent them from rotting when perennial and annual climbers have either died away or lost their leaves. Also check that your tree ties and stakes are firm enough to stand up to any winter storms.

One of the easiest things to do this month is to think about the visiting birds in your garden and ensure that your bird feeders are kept full of wild bird seed or suspend fat balls to sustain your avian visitors during the short days when they have little time to forage. If you have roses, site the bird feeders close to them as birds will helpfully pick off any overwintering pests. Remember to hang bird feeders beyond the reach of cats, and put out fresh water for the birds every day during frosty weather.

It’s also wise to sweep up piles of old leaves that could be hiding slugs and other garden pests and put them in the compost.

Pruning has a big role this month. It’s best to hard prune overgrown shrubs and hedges while they are dormant and it's a good time to prune apple and pear trees. Make sure you prune any Acer palmatum (Japanese maple trees), Betula (birches) and Vitis vinifera (vines) if needed, as they will bleed sap if pruning is done any later. Tall growing rose bushes should be cut back by about half to reduce the risk of wind damage to the roots and stems. Cut back

ornamental grasses and bamboos if needed.

Don’t prune your hydrangeas, however – leave the faded flower heads on the plant until spring, as they provide invaluable frost protection to the swelling buds further down the stems.

When it comes to compost, turn your compost heaps to mix the ingredients and help the contents to decompose. It’s also a good time to spread a layer of compost over cleared soil using a garden fork to work the compost in. If you have a pond, cover it with netting to catch any falling leaves or debris and leave them on the side so pondlife can escape, before adding them to your compost bin.

Alpine and rockery plants will be grateful to have a loam/grit compost mixture spread around them, to keep the soil well-draining but retaining moisture. Keep watering any newly planted trees and shrubs until the ground freezes. You can also help create a welcome shelter for toads and other wildlife by making a chaotic pile of old logs in an undisturbed corner of the garden.

For gardens with lawns, spike lawns with a garden fork to improve drainage and aeration. Keep the lawn clear of leaves to let the light in and prevent dead patches appearing and put the leaves in the compost bin.

If you have strawberry plants and they are over three years old, order some new ones to replace them. After a certain time strawberries can harbour diseases and tend to lose productivity.

In December planning ahead is mostly a case of considering what seeds you will plant in the spring and ordering them. You need to order apple trees now for planting in early spring. You should also move your houseplants to a sunny windowsill to give them as much light as possible during the shorter days.

If you have plans for new hedging, order bare root hedging and plant it now while the plant is dormant, inserting plants into your trench at a 45cm spacing. This cost-effective solution might feel underwhelming initially because most bare root plants are deciduous so they can seem slightly disappointing when they arrive. However, bare root plants have a substantial root system and a decent amount of stem and side shoots, although this depends on the age and height. When spring arrives you will soon see your plants flourish.

Hardwood cuttings can be taken at this time of year, an easy method of propagating deciduous climbers, trees and shrubs such as Buddleia (butterfly bush), Cornus (dogwood) and Forsythia.

Cover any empty beds with fleece or clear (not black) plastic, which will warm the soil so it is easier to work when the time comes and work needs to start again in earnest. n

This is an elegant and stylishly presented 5 bedroom Grade II listed Georgian townhouse, located in a fine elevated position within 5 minutes-walk of Bath city centre.

The flexible accommodation which has a wealth of period features, is presented in excellent decorative order throughout and is arranged over 4 floors. There is an attractive drawing and withdrawing room on the ground floor, both with lovely period fireplaces. On the first floor there is a well-appointed mezzanine level shower room, along with a charming master bedroom to the front and a further double to the rear. The top floor has 3 further bedrooms, one which is currently being used as an office.

From the ground floor steps lead down to the lower ground floor accommodation where there is a mezzanine level office which enjoys access to the garden and sun terraces. In addition there is an impressive kitchen with natural stone flooring, which is linked to the dining room to the rear, along with a large utility room and pantry which enjoys access to the front of the property via stone steps. Double doors lead to the garden and sun terraces to the rear from the dining room.

The garden is a key feature of this beautiful house and extends to approximately 150ft and benefits from being divided into several ‘rooms’. There is a pretty, secluded paved sun terrace which leads from the dining room with steps up to a raised sun deck, this leads to a beautifully manicured lawn with a wealth of mature shrubs and trees and raised beds. Nestled attractively at the top of the garden there is a handsome timber framed garden studio with a further sun terrace.

Guide Price £1,200,000

An attractive, detached 4 bedroom period farmhouse offering comfortable accommodation arranged over 3 floors with panoramic countryside views and sitting in mature gardens of approximately 0.5 acres.

• 4 bedrooms • En suite facilities • Wealth of period features • Level garden and views • Double garage

Guide Price £895,000

An attractive 3 bedroom semi-detached, mews-style house, with attractive garden terraces, a single garage and plenty of off-street parking, beautifully positioned adjacent to the canal and enjoying lovely far-reaching views, in a sought-after location within 15 minute walk of Bath city centre. • 3 bedrooms • Mews-style house • Attractive rear garden terraces • Single garage with plenty of off-street parking • Ideal location, adjacent to the canal

Buying property has changed over the years, and over the last few years there has been a growth in, what are known as, off-market sales in Bath. Gone are the days when all properties are advertised and marketed through an estate agent; now, many exclusive homeowners are choosing to sell their home discreetly. To break into this secret world of incredible homes you need to know the right person, one who will help you sell your home without all the glare, and in Bath that’s Peter Greatorex Unique Homes.

Peter is a trusted agent and no stranger to the niche and high-end property markets. Having operated for 30 years, Peter founded The Apartment Company and then established Fine & Country Wells & Chew Valley as the market leading agents for premium homes in that area, and he still runs both businesses. Peter and his team found there was a high demand of buyers looking for properties in and around the Bath area, and so breaking into Bath’s premium home market was a smooth and logical process, with successful sales leading to high quality buyer registrations.

His agency Peter Greatorex Unique Homes, as you might expect, differentiates itself into a niche market that specialises in helping clients downsize, as well as being offline sales experts. Offline sales are more common than you probably imagine, in 2021, 300,000 properties were sold offline, that’s a staggering 20% of the entire market.

Downsizing is an area of the market that is more complex than people perceive it to be, often people are moving from a family home into somewhere smaller, and this can bring up a wealth of emotions and questions that they didn’t expect. If not handled correctly, then such sales have the potential to fall through when nerves take over and doubts kick in. Peter and his team with many years of experience, have helped countless people to downsize, because they understand and empathise with clients involved in this kind of move.

It isn’t just selling homes that Peter and his team assist, they can also help buyers break into this secret property market through their VIP buyer service. When talking to buyers today, one thing they all have in common is struggling to find their next home, especially in a market where available properties are scarce. As exciting as searching for a new home can be, it can also be very frustrating and exhausting, especially if you simply can’t find what you are looking for.

Their VIP buyer service is a gateway to access these offline homes for sale, as well as those homes that are not currently on the market. Many sellers stall in listing their property because they simply cannot find what they are looking for in a next home. Peter Greatorex Unique Homes will keep you informed of new homes coming onto the market, as well as those selling offline, together with speaking to homeowners who may not have even considered selling.

If you are interested in selling and would like some assistance with your onward purchase, call and arrange a meeting. We can talk through your requirements and explain our VIP buyer service in more detail. For us it’s very important that sellers are in total control on timings and Peter and his team will make sure all the moving parts align.

We currently have a number of properties available offline priced between £1.5m and £5m, so if you would like to find out more about Bath’s secret property market, and how we can help with your move, call Peter or Sharon on 01225 904999.

www.petergreatorex.co.uk

Bath is a unique city; it is one that has a heart and soul. It is no wonder the people that move here love its variety as “ well as its strong community feel,” states Nicola Wilkes, Lettings & Property Investment Manager. Just as this city is unique so is the lettings market, and, especially in this difficult time, we wanted to give landlords an honest perspective on what is happening, what to consider and, also, what prospective tenants want. It all comes down to price, presentation and pets being the key to the Bath lettings market.

Landlords, you will be pleased to hear demand is still high, enquiries have not wavered but in fact, we are busier than last year, but what has changed is that it is a price-sensitive market. Landlords with inflated guide prices/expectations are having to accept lower offers or realign their asking rents. There was no doubt that the cost of living crisis was going to have an impact, and what we are seeing at The Apartment Company is applicants making offers on a property rather than agreeing to the listed rent. “We are still getting very good rents,” explains Nicola. “Rental incomes being achieved is still higher than those in 2020, there has been an increase in excess of 12.1% since 2021. The market was always going to get to a point where things would flatten off a bit.”

Enquiries from landlords, especially new landlords, have also increased and we have seen a rise in new instructions. Landlords are still investing in Bath and seeing the value which this city and its apartments can deliver.

There has been a slight shift in the market with a notable increase in properties that are furnished, although 80% of our rentals continue to be unfurnished. That being said, furnished properties must be high quality, and this brings us to presentation.

Whether you are looking to let a stunning Georgian property, a purpose built 1970s abode or a sleek modern build, they all have something very different to offer. As a landlord, at the top of your consideration list has to be presentation: prospective tenants want an exceptional home, and you don’t want to give them an opportunity to doubt your offering. As Nicola explains “We encourage all first-time landlords to redecorate their apartment, get it professionally cleaned and add quality finishes. You want a prospective tenant to walk into your apartment for the first time and be wowed – you don’t want them to focus on any negative elements. The more exquisitely presented the apartment the better quality of tenant you will attract.”

When it comes to presentation you also need to consider compliance, and this means looking forward and not just in the here and now. Prospective tenants are really energy aware: they know the difference between an apartment with an E EPC rating and one with a C and what that can mean to their energy bills. Although you are currently compliant with an E rating, the government is in consultation to raise the required rating to a C by 2025. Therefore, you should always be looking at what small changes you can make to your property to make it future proof.

The pandemic saw around 3.2 million UK households bringing a pet into their home, according to figures last year by the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association. This means that there are now 17 million pet-owning homes, and we know this includes many of Bath’s renters. As a landlord, you are no doubt sympathetic to this plight, as we know many of you have discussed options with us to allow pets within your properties. That being said, on many occasions your hands are tied.

New landlords may not be aware of the need to check the head lease for the apartment building – within its various clauses, which sometimes include how the property can be let, will be a clause on pets. We believe there is often a misconception that it is the landlords’ decision not to allow pets when, in reality, it can be the head lease that is sadly preventing such lets.

Having a deep understanding of Bath and its unique property market ensures that Nicola and her team can help ensure each of our landlords’ investments are the right ones to achieve their goals. If you would like to know more about investing in Bath’s apartment market, contact Nicola today on 01225 303870.

FORSALE FORSALE FORSALE

Widcombe Crescent O.I.E.O £325,000

Georgian Crescent · Grade I listed · Double bedroom · Fabulous views · Sought after location · Close to the City Centre · Beautifully presented · Bright and spacious · EPC C rating · Approx. 579 Sq. Ft.

NEW INSTRUCTION Great Pulteney Street O.I.E.O £550,000 Grosvenor Place O.I.E.O £260,000

Grade l listed · Georgian · Second floor · One double bedroom · Good decorative order · Close to local amenities · Holiday lets permitted · EPC C rating · Approx 494 Sq. Ft.

NEW INSTRUCTION NEW INSTRUCTION

Great Stanhope Street O.I.E.O £265,000

Georgian · Grade ll listed · First floor apartment · Spacious double bedroom · Central location · Close to local amenities · EPC C rating · Approx. 603 Sq. Ft. Grade l listed · Georgian · Second floor apartment · Two double bedrooms · City centre location · Stunning views · Communal garden · EPC D rating · Approx. 1128 Sq. Ft.

Spencers Belle Vue O.I.E.O £270,000

Georgian · Top floor apartment · Double bedroom · Stunning views · Short walk to city centre · Excellent access to M4 · EPC C rating · Approx. 586 Sq. Ft. London Street

O.I.E.O £185,000

Georgian · First Floor · Double bedroom · Central location · Close to local amenities · Opposite · Hedgemead Park · No chain · EPC D rating · Approx. 355 Sq. Ft.

SOLD STC SOLD STC SOLD STC

Portland Place O.I.E.O £275,000 Rivers Street O.I.E.O £320,000 Alfred Street

O.I.E.O £425,000

Ground floor apartment · Sitting room · Kitchen · Bedroom · Bathroom · Communal courtyard · Permit parking · EPC D rating · Approx 772 Sq. Ft. Georgian · First floor · Spacious rooms · South facing sitting room · High ceilings · Central location · Short walk to city centre · No chain · EPC C rating · Approx. 418 Sq. Ft. Central location · Second floor · Newly refurbished throughout · Stunning views · Two double bedrooms · Good ceiling height · EPC C rating · Approx. 681 Sq. Ft

TO LET TO LET TO LET

Brunswick Place £1,275 pcm

Green Park £1,800 pcm

Raby Place, Bathwick £1,500 pcm Green Park £1,400 pcm

Palladian

Furnished · Available 20th December 2022 · First Floor apartment · Central location · No students · Suit professional person or couple · Resident permit parking · Council Tax Band B · EPC Rating D

LET AGREED LET AGREED Lower Oldfield Park £1,400 pcm

LET AGREED

Stunning Apartment · Part furnished · Two double bedrooms · Communal Gardens · Gas central heating · Council Tax Band D · EPC Rating D · Available now

TO LET £1,800 pcm

FULLY FURNISHED · Two double bedrooms · Open plan living room/ kitchen · Secure gated parking for one vehicle · Enclosed communal garden · Minimum tenancy 12 months · Council Tax Band C · EPC Rating C

TO LET Park Lane £1,690 pcm

TO LET

Available Now · Courtyard Garden · Own front door entrance · One double bedroom · Plenty of storage · Access to Raby Place private gardens · Contemporary kitchen · Council Tax Band B · EPC Rating C Unfurnished · Available now · Two double bedrooms · Office/Additional storage · Redecorated throughout · Pets may be considered · Top floor apartment · Council Tax Band C · EPC rating C

Alexandra House £1,600 pcm

Available Now · Open plan living space · Unfurnished · Two double bedrooms · Allocated parking · High specification · Suitable professionals · Council Tax Band C · EPC Rating B Unfurnished · Available now · 880 sq ft · Two double bedrooms · Redecorated throughout · New kitchen & bathroom · Pets considered by negotiation · Council Tax Band C · EPC Rating D

Professional person/couple · Two double bedrooms · Redecorated throughout · Allocated Parking · Communal garden & bike store · EPC Rating D · Council Tax Band D · Available now

Available Now · Three double bedrooms · Two bathrooms · Balcony over communal gardens · Part furnished · Gas central heating · NO STUDENTS · Council Tax Band E · EPC Rating B

North Road, Combe Down £2,250 pcm