Winter gardening
Colourful houseplants give our spirits a real boost through the winter and make wonderful Christmas gifts too. But our homes can be hostile places for plants, so some thought to their care will ensure they make it past Twelfth Night.
Vivid festive-red poinsettias are festive favourites, but they really hate the cold. Start by buying well-cared for plants, avoiding those left unwrapped in icy draughts - supermarkets can be prime culprits for this – and don’t leave plants in freezing cars for hours. At home, while poinsettias and many other houseplants need warmth, be careful to avoid hot spots above radiators and close to stoves. Centrally-heated air can be too dry for many houseplants, making leaves shrivel or go brown at the edges, so it really helps to boost humidity by standing plants on pebble-filled saucers of water (so the roots are above, but not in, the water).
Many plants are killed by incorrect watering: what they need can be perfectly described by the Swedish word lagom which roughly translates as ‘not too much, or too little, but just right’. The roots should be evenly moist and, to really treat your plants, use rainwater rather than tap. A regular clean-up is recommended too: pick off faded or dead leaves and flowers as these can be a source of disease.
But all good things come to an end. While some stalwart houseplants like ferns, succulents and that badge of Victorian respectability, the aspidistra, go on for years, seasonal houseplants should be treated rather like a long-lived bunch of flowers and sent to the compost heap in time. Particularly poinsettias, which produce their coloured bracts in response to artificially managed day lengths. After all, once spring is in sight, few of us need reminders of Christmas around the place!
Seasonal jobs
A posy of garden flowers for the table is a real midwinter treat. Put cloches or covers over plants like Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) and primulas, to keep off rain and soil splashes, and tempt blooms to open in time for the festive table.
Cut crisp lawn edges using a half-moon edging tool: now growth has almost stopped, they’ll stay neat into spring.
Protect container plants from hard frosts and icy winds by moving right against house walls and away from the coldest north and east winds. Raise pots just off the ground or stand on gravel to avoid waterlogging, especially as wet roots could freeze solid and break clay pots too.
During dry, mild spells, treat sheds, fences and other garden woodwork with a suitable preservative. Pressure wash decking, paths and paving which can become dangerously slippery with dirt and algae during winter.
Looking good
Flowering shrubs are scarce compared to summer’s abundance, but are treasures at this time of year. The earliest camellias are varieties of C. sasanqua and are scented too, as are the soft pink blooms of Viburnum bodnantense.
On walls and fences, yellow-flowering winter jasmine (J. nudiflorum) is gloriously bright and cheerful, producing masses of blooms along bare stems. Tough and easy, even for shady spots.
Evergreens step forward to take centre stage as many garden plants go dormant until spring. Golden-variegated elaeagnus and euonymus are a ray of sunshine, while New Zealand flax (Phormium) come in a whole range of foliage colours from purple and pink to yellow.
Sue Fisher is a garden designer and writer based on the Bere Peninsula
Sue’s top tips
Thrifty: Gather greenery from the garden for Christmas decorations: all kinds of evergreen foliage can be made into wreaths, garlands and table centrepieces, while long trails of ivy can be wound round pictures and stair rails. It’ll only stay fresh for a short while, so do this quite near to the big day.
Wildlife: Lots of wildlife-related products make fantastic Christmas gifts, like bird feeders, tables, nest boxes – not just for birds but bats and hedgehogs too. Wonderful organisations like the RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts offer gift memberships for families, adults or children. A great way to solve those gift dilemmas as well as doing a good turn for the environment.
‘Green’: Winter pruning generates lots of woody branches and stems that take years to compost, unless shredded. If you’re out of space to make brash piles (perfect for wildlife), try a hugelkultur bed - sometimes called German mound. Stack branches densely for the base, cover with nitrogen-rich material like manure or grass clippings and finish with several inches of soil. This is particularly good for growing moisture-loving crops like beans, courgettes and squash.
Time saving: My top New Year’s resolution is to sort out tools during winter and be all set when everything takes off in spring. Sharpen blades, oil wooden handles, and send tools for servicing if need be. Put up hooks and rakes so everything is in order and quick to find.
Favourite plant: Loropetalum chinense is a small shrub with year-round beauty from its crimson-purple crinkly leaves, but the colour intensifies and almost glows in winter. I grow the variety ‘Fire Dance’ which bears spidery candy-pink flowers for months, and is brilliant in a tub to cheer up my patio through the darkest months.
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