Granny Mouse Country House & Spa is the perfect spot for that romantic winter getaway. Like many of our guests who don’t enjoy the winter cold, many of the plants in our gardens like to lay low for the winter. But the beautiful Midlands landscape has its own stark beauty in this harshest of seasons … and then there’s the legendary Midlands log fire and gluhwein!

Always working in the background and nurturing his charges with as much love and care as we do our guests in the chillier months is our head gardener and his team of “green fingers”. Together, they ensure that our gardens are perfectly poised to break into bloom come spring – and provide you with another excuse to escape to the country and Granny Mouse.

Here are some of his thoughts on making sure that those of you who live in colder winter climates can ensure that your gardens continue to look spectacular.

First stop is always right at the beginning and choosing which plants are likely to do best in your particular climate.

The Granny Mouse gardeners settled on a careful mix of both exotic and indigenous flora to ensure a profusion of colour year round and help our guests to unwind in a setting that allows for seclusion, peace and tranquillity while inspiring with colour and form. Ours is an unstructured design with mature trees as well as lush shrubbery and some seasonal annual gems that always add that burst of colour and charm for which Granny Mouse Country House & Spa is known.

Because home grown plants handle the local climate best, each of our deluxe suites has an indigenous planting that includes witsonias, aloe arborence, buddleja, salviafola, crassula, lampranthus, freylina and more.

Like us, find out which indigenous plants are best for your area – ask your local nursery or garden centre and also keep an eye out for what’s doing well in your neighbours’ gardens. Choose carefully, especially when it comes to statement plants like trees and large shrubs that take a long time to grow and need to do well from season to season for years to come.

Also try to have as much evergreen foliage as possible to add just a little colour to the brown winter background.

Your options can be both indigenous and exotic – but remember that many more exotic and tropic types are averse to the biggest of winter gardening problems – frost.

As we all know, the Highveld, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and the Karoo regularly experience winter night temperatures below 0°C.

Frost, which is both an unpredictable and unwelcome visitor, occurs due to a number of different factors, including freezing temperatures. At night, both the solid surface and air cools. Water vapour condenses and forms dew, settling on exposed surfaces such as lawn and foliage. When the thermometer drops below 0, this dew transforms into ice crystals, which are better known as frost.

So, keep an eye out for the weather forecast so that you can cover up your precious plants and prevent damage:

• Apply thick mulch over the roots of any plants that risk being damaged.
• Make sure that potted plants that are outside aren’t in wet potting soil. Ensure that there’s good drainage by placing containers onto pot feet (or improvise with small rocks or pebbles). Prevent containers from cracking during very cold conditions by wrapping them in bubble plastic or burlap.
• Cover vulnerable plants with hessian or straw tents at night – but remember to open up at least one side of your structure during the day.
• Water plants in the mornings rather than the evenings so that all surface moisture has been absorbed by the time the sun goes down and temperatures drop.
• Delay removing foliage that has been damaged by frost until spring, as it can not only protect the rest of the plants against further damage but cause less stress to your already struggling plants.
• Remove any plants that haven’t managed to survive the frost at the end of winter too. Like many of us, they might just be sleeping out the winter and re-appear in spring!

As winter creeps up on us, we’re all in favour of comfort food; heartier winter meals, to help us stay warm and cosy. But for those of us who aren’t so good in the kitchen, reaching for the pre-prepared meals becomes the easy option. However, according to Granny Mouse Country House & Spa Culinary Artist, Theo Mannie, “here’s a spiced Roasted Butternut with Coconut and Coriander Soup, that’s not only easy to make, it’s amazing to enjoy on those chilly winter nights.”

Initially a reluctant chef at best, Mannie’s love for tinkering in the kitchen and playing with ingredients ignited a spark he wasn’t even aware of, and has led to a passion for all things culinary.

“I just love sharing my recipes, which are my passion, with everyone, and enjoy making them realise that cooking can be fun and enjoyable,” Mannie adds.

Give this recipe a try. We promise it’s easy and will have your family begging for more.

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1kg butternut, peeled, deseeded and cubed
• 1tsp curry powder
• 100g butter
• 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly sliced
• 1 stick of celery, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100ml coconut cream
• 20g fresh coriander leaves
• 1½ litres of vegetable stock

Method

1. In a roasting tray, toss together the cubed butternut and the curry powder. Cover with foil and roast in the oven for 15 min at 180 degrees.
2. In the meantime, in a large enough pot, place the butter, onions and celery. Sauté on low heat for about 5 min until they become translucent but not brown. Add the garlic and carrots and continue to cook until they all become soft, about 15min.
3. Transfer the roasted butternut to the pot. Add in the stock until it just about covers the mixture.
4. Cook until the butternut is cooked all the way through. Blend in a food processor until it is smooth.
5. Return the soup to the heat. Add the coconut cream and season to taste.

Prepare in a large soup bowl, and garnish with the fresh coriander leaves, and add some fresh bread to the plate to soak up every last drop!