If snow falls, don't let heavy loads sit on shrubs or hedges. Pretty as it looks, it must be brushed off to prevent branch breakage. And, if you haven't done so already, protect vulnerable plants from frost and wind-damage. Wrap with hessian packed with straw, make a tent of bubble-wrap or horticultural fleece, or cover with old conifer branches (the Christmas tree?). Make sure air can still circulate. Fish in frozen garden ponds need a breathing-hole so they are not poisoned by trapped gases. Do not attempt to smash the ice: the resulting shock-waves can stun or kill a fish. Instead, melt the ice by gently pouring hot water over it or by standing a saucepan of hot water on the frozen surface until it gives way. Floating a ball on the water helps to keep an open space and it also absorbs pressure from expanding ice, which can crack concrete pools.