WANDERING through the Cathedral Close, in Carlisle, this week, I was delighted to find a large witch hazel in full flower.

I stopped to inhale the perfume and, looking around as I carried on, noticed several other winter shrubs in flower- Skimmia, Viburnum and a nice specimen of Garrya eliptica with huge greenish grey catkins.

Someone with insight has planted a good selection of winter flowering shrubs here in among the summer plantings.

It is sights such as these that keep the gardener going through the drab days of winter.

Back at Brockhole later in the week, I turned a corner in the garden and almost walked into three roe deer, gently feeding on some shrubs.

We had seen a doe and two fawns in the woodland areas near the lodge many times in the spring, perhaps these were the same deer staying together for company during the winter.

Other deer seem to wander through the meadow and lakeshore woods on a fairly regular basis, but they are seldom as close as these three were.

I know that other gardens are visited much more often, and that the deer can do a great deal of damage, but it is so wonderful to watch these large, graceful animals that I am quite prepared to sacrifice a few plants for the pleasure of watching them occasionally.

There are ways of protecting plants from deer, generally the same things as for rabbits, only taller.

Wire or plastic tree cages will protect young trees and newly planted shrubs, as will plastic 'rabbit spirals' used one on top of another.

Netting draped over, or wire cages around, new or delicate herbaceous plants, and small wire fences around larger areas will deter deer, though if they are determined they will jump over such barriers.

Scarecrows seem to have gone out of fashion, but small strips of aluminium foil on bamboo canes glint and make a rustling noise that may frighten browsers away.

Another old trick is to parcel some human hair in a small net bag, and hang it from the branches of small trees.

It may or may not deter bark damage by deer but it will certainly provide soft nesting material for birds in spring.

In some cases a particular plant may be so attractive that the deer (or rabbits) will always manage to damage it.

When this happens I either put the plant in a border right next to the house, where there are people coming in and out and lights going on and off for most of the day and evening, or I simply give up growing that particular plant altogether.

Jobs for the gardener this week.

- Remember to put out food and water for the birds - this can be a difficult time of year for them and a garden full of birds is almost as good as a garden full of flowers.

- In good weather carry on cutting down herbaceous plants and clearing fallen leaves.

Try not to walk on waterlogged lawns and borders though.

- Keep warm and improve your garden compost by turning over the compost heap.