Frosts can create a truly beautiful, completely white landscape with frost settling to the top of gum trees. Cobwebs, normally unseen, stand out as intricate works of art on the farm fences. Despite the cold and frozen ground, it truly is magical.

Frosty days can be cruel on fingers and toes, but for plants it can mean death. Frost forms when conditions are very cold, with dew on the ground, and clear starry skies. Frost damages plants because the moisture inside the cells of their leaves, stems and shoots, freeze when temperatures fall below zero. As the temperature rises, the moisture inside the plants will expand, causing damage to the plant tissue. Frost damage is more severe in spring and summer when the sun has more heat, and the rapid thaw is particularly harmful. The frost damage on plants resembles burning, with the leaves blackened. Softer leaved plants will go mushy after frost and die.

Cold air is heavier than warm air, so frost flows downhill slopes, pooling at the bottom of valleys. In a garden, cold air will roll along the ground, settling in a hollow. An interruption of this natural flow, such as a fence or hedge across the slope, will cause cold air to pond behind the barrier making a particular area more frost prone. To avoid creating frost traps, leave a break in these barriers so cold air can flow through.  Alternatively place barriers down rather than across a slope as this will not impede the natural air flow.

Buildings or brick walls absorb heat during the day forming a heat bank, which then radiates the heat out at night. This will be enough to slightly raise the temperature creating a safer planting area for more susceptible plants. The canopy of trees offers some protection from frost. But with frosts there are no guarantees.

To help protect your plants, mulch around their base, to insulate the soil and protect the roots from frost. Also watering the soil around plants will help, as moist soil retains heat better than dry soil.  However growing plants that are native to your area is the best bet for a successful outcome, as they have adapted over centuries, to your soils and climate.

It may seem there are no benefits living with frosts, but frost kills pests and diseases, making a healthy environment ready for spring. And of course, they truly are very beautiful, and a good excuse to sit a little longer by the fire.

The Small-fruited Hakea flowers prolifically from early spring right through summer, giving a wonderful display of grevillea type flowers. As we walk past this small shrub in our garden, it grabs our attention with its lovely sweet perfume coming from its nectar rich creamy coloured flowers covering the whole shrub. These flowers attract bees for honey production.  As this is a prickly plant, it's an important addition to any garden wanting to attract small honeyeater birds as it provides shade and shelter from predators, such as cats.

The Small-fruited Hakea grows along rivers, but is equally at home on extremely dry banks. This is a very hardy shrub with blue-green needle shaped foliage, tolerating frost to -8C, wind, prolonged dry spells and waterlogging. It enjoys full sun but will be equally be at home in part shade. This Hakea is suitable for all soils from the coast to the mountains, and like most plants, it will flower better with added water. The Small-fruited Hakea will grow to 1m - 1.5m in height and 0.5 - 1m in width. It's best, if you remember, to prune the shrub after flowering to maintain a good shape and promote flowering the following year.

This Hakea is well worth a spot in your garden.