Winter Gardening by Sue Fisher
The winter months are ideal for planting pretty much anything that’s hardy and deciduous: trees, shrubs, roses, fruit, perennials and hedging. Soil conditions are ideal for rooting, particularly in the early part of the season whilst still warm and usually nicely moist. Plants can start establishing a good root system without struggling to make top growth at the same time, and will be settled in ready to burst into growth next spring. Another benefit of winter planting is that once leaves have fallen, plants are dormant and you’ll be able to buy bare rooted (also known as field grown) stock which is lifted from nursery fields and despatched immediately. These are usually excellent value for money: cheaper than container grown plants and in a wider range of sizes too. When it comes to evergreens and anything that is borderline-hardy, though, aim to plant in early to mid-spring, as these plants are more susceptible to frosts and cold winds.
Thorough soil preparation is the secret to long-term success with garden plants. Don’t just dig a hole, chuck in a handful of fertilizer and stick the plant in – this is something akin to building a house without any foundations! Digging to at least one spades’ depth, clearing weeds, adding organic matter over the whole planting area, not only sets up your plants for years to come but is hugely beneficial to garden wildlife as well-managed soil teems with life. 2015 is the International Year of Soils, aiming to raise awareness of the importance of soils and their sustainable management: the topic has even made it on to Radio 4’s The Archers. Every gardener can do their bit to care for the soil: dig in lots of organic matter when preparing ground and mulch bare soil with more of the same – ideally home-made garden compost – to keep plants nourished and the soil in good heart. But do avoid working the ground if conditions are wet and the soil is so claggy it sticks to your boots, as you’ll damage the soil structure. To protect bare ground from winter rains, cover veg beds with cardboard, landscaping fabric, or sow a ‘green manure’ cover crop.
Plants looking good this season
Hellebores: Christmas and Lenten roses bloom from mid-winter to spring, ideal for shady spots.
Golden evergreens: bright leaves cheer up dull winter days. Good varieties include Libertia ‘Gold Lace’; Euonymus ‘Emerald n’Gold’; Lonicera ‘Baggessen’s Gold’; Choisya ‘Sundance’.
Christmas box (Sarcococca): compact little evergreen with strongly scented flowers.
Seasonal jobs
Trim deciduous hedges well in advance of bird nesting season.
Overgrown deciduous shrubs can be rejuvenated by cutting out a third of the oldest growth near to the ground. Repeat over the next two winters to gradually replace all the mature stems with new growth.
Aerate lawns where ground is compacted or liable to waterlogging.
Put out a regular supply of fresh water for birds as well as food.
Order seed catalogues for a leisurely spot of armchair gardening.
Sue Fisher is a garden designer and writer based on the Bere Peninsula. Tel 01822 841895. Email: suefisher@talktalk.net Website: www.suefishergardens.co.uk