After the most brutal winter in many years, gardeners will be praying for better weather in March.

But this winter's storms have severely damaged many areas of the landscape and acting hastily now could well be a mistake which you will rue into the summer.

If nothing else, this winter is a lesson for future years that we really do need to stick to a calendar of "events" in the garden. The fickle climate we experienced into December is now a distant memory as we see neighbours we have not seen for many a year.

First and foremost, clearing horticultural debris is important to reduce the possibility of fungal problems which once established are difficult to control. The lack of sunshine hours coupled with the constant dampness is cause for fungal activity. Rake all fallen foliage and remove from site or burn.

Wind and salt spray have wreaked havoc on foliage and branch structure to the point that careful pruning to develop new branch structure will be necessary. Strong winds have broken branches; in many cases tearing bark as branches were ripped apart from the trunk. March can also be windy, so patience is a must; pruning too early could be a disaster if we have a period of warm weather which results in active growth only to be followed by more stormy weather that once again burns the new growth and reduces available material for further pruning.

As it stands with the unsettled weather, I would put off pruning until late March; look for strong growth on outer branches and cut back to clean healthy wood; remove weak growth and inward growing branches, and prune to an outward facing bud. Where branches have broken away from the main trunk or skinned adjacent branches, use a sharp pruning knife to clean the area to a flat finish with no snags.

Hedges have also been stripped bare in many instances. Again, pruning is the key to rejuvenating growth; develop a branch structure for building on in the future, and encourage open growth.

Large trees should be inspected by a qualified tree surgeon who will climb into the canopy and carry out a thorough inspection for rot or suspect limbs and cracks; large trees can take time to die and make a major "hole" in the landscape when gone. The cost of having a tree inspected by a professional is by far the "most economical" approach as the cost of removing it and of course replacing it will be a costly exercise!

Plants that have been moved by wind should have their root system checked for any twisting or breaking of same; root pruning may be required in worst case scenarios. If many roots are broken, lifting the plant and replanting may be the best option, top prune to reduce stress on water uptake. Large plants that have a "lean" will require staking and tying to bring back to an upright position.

Lawns have also suffered with many winter weeds establishing themselves with ease owing to the cool temperatures prevailing over the last eight weeks with lawn grasses basically dormant. Thatch is a major problem in many lawns, while weed growth has been prolific during the last eight weeks.

Grass will not become fully active until temperatures reach a 65 degree day/night minimum. With the effects of the long dormant period, lawns in general will require verticutting or raking to remove thatch. Applying weed killer is also a task and may require more than one application, hand weeding for well established weeds should also be carried out to encourage grass growth vis a vis weed growth. A fertiliser application using a lawn grass starter fertiliser is also recommended to kick start the growing season; the quicker grasses become active and fill-in, the less likely lawn weeds will become established, especially if ongoing maintenance is carried out. Control height of cut when mowing, never cut more than one third of the leaf blade at any ones time as this can stress lawn grasses.

As many plants have died or are in such poor state they need to be replaced, plant selection will determine to a great extent the success or otherwise of your choice. By this I mean not only the suitability of the plant for the location, but also the general health of the plant; a healthy plant will grow well from day one if installed correctly, therefore check root systems to ensure they are not pot-bound or "strangling" themselves within the confines of the container. Check the top growth is healthy with a good branch structure and true to kind, i.e. if a young tree, does it have a potential trunk and not branched from near the base?

Plant selection should accommodate location in other words. After the last eight weeks, it is obvious which plants do not do well in certain areas; having said that it is also true that one does not design for the type of weather we have had as it is not a common occurrence to have such sustained inclement weather.

Now is a good time to undertake a major clean out and replant with suitable material for each location. Don't over-plant this is a common practice in Bermuda. Dense plantings will often fill in quickly with the result that the plants become drawn and unstable with a poor root system, thus becoming more prone to storm damage.

What plants have stood up best this winter? Pittosporum Tobira has proven its worth. Slightly inland plantings of Livistonia Chinensis (Chinese fan palms) look pretty good though unfortunately they are much maligned Elaeagnus macrophylla (Oleaster or Silverberry) has held up well but is best grown in open areas to give some protection; Cycas revoluta (Sago) has also survived well in many areas.

Take stock of your grounds as they now stand. This will allow you to determine the extent of work required to refurbish the garden either to its former glory or change direction to a different design layout. Do it now; don't wait for spring as it will be too late, and other interests will take priority.

n Questions? Email griffm@northrock.bm