There are lots of ways the cold can damage your garden. Here are our frost protection top tips:
Stop pots from freezing by raising them on bricks or pot feet then you can wrap bubble wrapping insulation around them and keep them in a sheltered spot.
If you have a pond that contains fish, place a tennis ball or football in the water so if the water freezes you can easily dislodge the ball and make an instant breathing hole in the morning. Alternatively melt a hole in the ice using the bottom of a saucepan of hot water. Provided the pond is at least 45cm deep, wildlife will come to no harm under a frozen surface.
Tender plants (tender is the opposite meaning to hardy) are very unlikely to survive through a frost so ideally you should put them in pots and move into a conservatory or heated greenhouse. Half-hardy plants and those slightly tender can be left outside but protected by wrapping horticultural fleece around them during cold periods.
All plants will benefit from a layer of mulch (such as chipped bark) spread around their stems as this will help to insulate the soil and therefore their roots.
Turn water off to outdoor taps and drain them and / or ensure taps and pipes are well insulated.
