After the Wet: A Spring Walk-Round

The winter will have tested every timber structure in the garden. Driving rain, a hard frost, then more rain — that cycle works water into joints, lifts finishes and finds every weak spot you missed in autumn. Before you reach for the paintbrush, spend an hour simply looking, notebook and torch in hand.

• Post bases and gravel boards. Push a bradawl into timber where it meets soil or paving. If it sinks in easily, rot is already at work.
• Joints and bearing points. Check wherever water sits — a pergola shoulder, a gate's bottom rail, the foot of a trellis.
• Roofs and gutters. Look for standing water, sagging felt, blocked outlets and staining on soffits or ceilings.
• Metalwork. Hinges, brackets and bolts: rust, movement, anything loose.
• Ground level. Soil heaped against timber frames keeps them damp; rake it back to leave a visible gap.

Fences, Trellis and Gates

Fences almost always fail at their feet rather than their tops. A post that rocks when you lean on it has rotted below ground or lost its grip in saturated soil — replace it in concrete, or use a metal repair spike if the post is sound and only the buried end has gone. Where panels are still solid but grey and algae-slick, scrub with a stiff brush and warm soapy water, working with the grain. Avoid a pressure washer on softwood: it drives water into the grain and lifts fibres you then have to sand flat.

Gates need their own attention. Check hinge pins, tighten coach bolts, and move the latch plate if the gate has dropped. A diagonal brace running from the bottom hinge side up to the top latch side will stop it sagging again, and oil hinges with a light machine oil rather than a gritty grease.

Pergolas, Arches and Climbing Supports

A pergola takes more weather than almost anything else in a cottage garden, because every part of it is exposed. Start at the feet: timber legs set straight into soil or paving will be soft by now, so lift them onto metal post shoes above the damp line and cut back any rot below the fixing. Where a joint at the top has opened, drill, glue and dowel it, or reinforce with a stainless steel bracket rather than trusting screws alone. Rub down rust on metal arches and obelisks, treat it, and repaint in the same colour. Then look at the plants — a mature wisteria or clematis will pull an arch out of true, so prune hard, untangle stems and tie in with soft twine.

Cedar Garden Rooms: Structure, Roof and Seals

Cedar weathers to a soft silver-grey and needs no treatment to stay sound, which is much of its appeal. Clean it with warm soapy water and a soft brush, working with the grain, and never jet wash — that raises the grain and forces water into the joints. If the cladding was previously oiled, top it up with a breathable cedar or wood oil rather than a film-forming varnish, which cracks and traps moisture.

On the roof, check for lifted edges, failed laps, loose flashings and blocked gutters; a gutter uncleared since autumn is the most common cause of damp inside a garden room. Adjust door hinges that drag, check window seals and make sure vents are clear — a sealed box with no airflow will grow mould in the corners. Inside, run a hand along the ceiling and lower walls for cold spots or staining, and check the bearers for any sign of ground contact.

Shepherd Huts: Chassis, Wheels and Roof

A shepherd hut comes with an extra set of jobs, because half of it is a vehicle. Begin underneath: check the chassis for rust, especially around welds, and treat it with a rust converter before repainting. Grease the wheel bearings, inspect the jockey wheel and coupling for wear, and look at the tyres for cracking if the hut has stood still all winter.

The curved roof is where water finds a way in. Check seams, rivets and any joins around a flue for lifting or corrosion, and reseal with a flexible sealant once everything is bone dry. Sweep the flue if there is a stove. Timber cladding benefits from a fresh coat of oil every two or three years, with extra attention to the bottom rails and corners where rain splashes up from the ground.

Timing Finishes and Small Details

Whatever you apply, the weather must cooperate. Timber needs to be dry — ideally after two or three dry days — with the temperature comfortably above 10°C and no rain forecast for at least 24 hours. Thin coats beat one thick one, and a light sanding between them gives a far better finish. Never oil or paint over damp timber or active rot; you will simply seal the problem in.

• Choose breathable finishes for exterior timber so moisture can escape rather than being trapped behind a skin.
• Use stainless steel or galvanised fixings outdoors; ordinary screws bleed rust stains down pale timber within a season.
• Re-treat cut ends whenever you saw new timber — they absorb water faster than any other surface.
• Check drainage around every structure. A clear gap between soil and timber solves more damp problems than any coating.