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Winter Gardening
 Christmas time is fast approaching and there is always the problem of the present for someone that has everything. Why not make up an indoor arrangement of your very own. People are much more grateful, and dare I say impressed, with the knowledge of a present made with the care and attention of your own fair hands.
I remember as a “wee bairn” every Christmas making an arrangement for my Grandad and Grandma and my Granny and Grandpa. This was of course with the aid of my very talented father. My Grandparents always seemed to favour this present above all the others because their wonderful granddaughter (their words, mot mine!) had taken the time and “got her hands mucky” to make it. Still to this day I make Granny and Grandpa an arrangement but, I must add, on my own as I’m now “grown up”.
So how does one set about making such a cherished present. It’s very simple really. Firstly choose the container, basket, tub or pot, preferably with no holes in the bottom so as to not leak water. If there are any holes you’ll need a saucer too. Secondly choose your plants. I always find a mixed basket works best, some flowering plants and some foliage. At Christmas, cyclamen, hyacinths, poinsettias and Christmas cacti all look good. There are so many foliage plants available but I favour the ferns, prayer plants, ficus and spider plants. The number of plants depends on the size of your container. To make an arrangement look best, the plants need to be fairly close together without large gaps.
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Once the plants are chosen, put a little multipurpose compost and a hand full of bulb fibre in your container, start planting with the tallest plants first at the back of the container moving on to the smaller ones at the front and the sides. Remember the arrangement is 3 dimensional, therefore you may need some small plants to fill in gaps at the back or sides. Once all the plants are in their correct places fill in the gaps with some compost. I find a little horticultural grit on the top also helps with watering so compost does not splash everywhere. Then use a small watering can to water in between the plants, remember not to over water if there are no drainage holes in the bottom. To finish off, a strategically placed large bow, a candle, or a pinecone sprayed silver or gold can give that festive feel. Lastly, when giving the present, remember to wear a large smile and feel proud of yourself for your effort. Treat yourself to a large glass of your favourite tipple, mine being red wine! May I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
For further tips and information on gardening visit the Pot House Hamlet Blog at www.pothousehamlet.co.uk
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Ideas?
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A great way to get ideas & inspiration for your garden is to visit one of the RHS shows. It's a great day out for anyone interested in their home and garden.
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