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Winter Gardening
Winter may be a quiet period within the garden presuming you have done all the autumn pruning and tidying but if not it is not too late. It is all too easy to forget your outdoor space in winter time but there are plenty of reasons to enjoy your garden. For instance, there are many plants, trees and shrubs that come into their own at this time of year – not just Christmas trees! but shrubs with coloured stems such as Cornus which have red, orange or yellow stems and Rubus which have silvery white stems. Many shrubs and trees will also be full of berries at this time of the year such as Holly, Skimmia and Cotoneaster which are all laidened with their glorious red fruit in winter. Of course there are also the plants which flower in winter such as Hemerocallis, Viburnum and Daphne which all produce wonderfully scented flowers despite the cold weather.
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Of course there are many other ways in which you can brighten up your garden for winter but especially for Christmas. Spherical pomanders on either side of your front door are a great alternative to the traditional Christmas wreath and create a welcoming entrance for your guests. Simple white fairy lights draped along the bare branches of a deciduous tree together with tea lights and candles create a magical Christmas atmosphere for you to enjoy within your garden. So why not use your garden for entertaining just as you would in the summer. There is nothing more enjoyable than keeping out the winter chill by enjoying a glass or two of mulled wine with friends sat around a warm brazier or BBQ. As Christmas is a time for families to get together then hot chocolate and marshmallow skewers over the BBQ will be a winner for the younger ones. Personally, I find that some reindeer and santa footprints can be the best find ever in my garden on Christmas morning and you can’t get better than that!!
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Hardy & Frost Resistant
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HELLEBORUS hardy frost resistant rhizomatous which can be shrub-like and clump forming. An ideal plant for shady woodland areas with smaller varieties making an excellent addition to a rock garden.
Varieties to consider:
Helleborus Niger (Christmas Rose) lush dark green leaves with saucer shaped flowers, white with a pink flush. Flowering from early Winter to early Spring.
Helleborus Pluto a perennial hybrid with deep green leaves and small deep purple flowers. Try to avoid planting in over wet or over dry soil. |
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Hints & Tips
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A handy hint if you want to keep one corner of the garden tidier and easy to manage is to incorporate raised beds. Utilise for a vegetable patch or herb garden.
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