Shrubs are woody plants that remain quite low and usually produce multiple shoots or stems from the base (height of 15 feet or less).
Continue to dig over existing beds
and borders, again incorporating as much organic matter as you can. Forking
over not only helps prepare the soil for spring, it helps reduce pests by
exposing them to hungry birds.
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Although
temperatures should start to rise this month, there is still a risk of frost
and even snow. Protect vulnerable plants,
pots and taps from frost by wrapping insulation such as garden fleece around
them and check pots and containers are raised off the ground if possible.
Tender trees and shrubs
will thank you for a generous application of dry mulch to protect their roots
from freezing conditions.
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Once the ground isn’t frozen, make
new beds and borders - mark the shape with sand trickled from a bottle,
remove the top layer of growing vegetation and dig the ground over,
incorporating as much organic matter as possible. If you are making a bed in
the lawn, remove the turf and stack it upside down somewhere out of the way -
after a year or two it will rot down into fantastic compost. Alternatively
chop it up and bury upside down in the planting hole a good spade’s depth
down. Beware - if you just dig it in the buried grass will regrow and regrow
and regrow and...
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Remember not to let leaves accumulate
around alpines - they will die if left damp for long. Cover bare patches
around clumps with gritty compost to encourage regrowth. When
the weather allows, carry on clearing paths, check walls (but avoid
concreting until there is no chance of frost), clean and insulate greenhouses
and ensure heaters are working properly. Even a little insulation will make a
huge difference to your heating bill.
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Clean and repair your garden
tools, book the lawn mower in for a service and check garden furniture for
any rot. When it is warm enough, treat sheds, fences and trellis with wood
preservative; brushes and rollers are fine for most things, however a sprayer
is well worth buying for tricky projects such as woven panels!
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If you thought there wasn't much to look at outside at this time of year - think again. Dozens of beautiful trees and shrubs are at their colourful best in December and into early spring and here are some of my favourites.
Flourishing in the coldest part of our Derbyshire garden are some of the winter flowering cherries. Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' bears flutters of white flowers throughout winter from November till Easter; it's close relative, Prunus subhirtella 'Rosea' is similar with soft pink flowers.
The subtle difference, apart from the colour, which I have noted over the years is that the white form usually has a few flowers virtually continuously during winter unless the weather is exceptionally cold whereas the pink clone has bolder flushes of flowers off and on during this period.
Elsewhere in our arboretum, Prunus subhirtella 'Fukubana' is growing into a small tree bearing delicate, semi-double rose pink flowers sometimes as early as February during mild winters and the Japanese Apricot, Prunus mume 'Beni-Shidare', is now a small, distinctly lollipop shaped tree flowering in late winter or early spring when its' rich carmine pink flowers exude a powerful perfume.
Three , perhaps more unusual choices for flowering winter interest are the Golden Alder Alnus incana 'Aurea', Persian Ironwoods Parrotia persica and Parrotiopsis jacquemontii, both surprisingly members of the witch hazel family.
The Golden Alder is a slender, rather smaller tree than wild alders with soft yellow foliage all summer and really conspicuous bright yellow, flushed red catkins often during the harshest weather.
The best selection of ironwood, Parrotia persica 'Vanessa' has a myriad of breathtaking autumn colours, indeed the clonal name “Vanessa” refers to the genus of butterflies which includes red admirals. During winter it bears clusters of velvety crimson flowers, i
Parrotiopsis jacquemontii is a large shrub or small tree, preferring a woodland garden and bears conspicuous creamy white flowers in late winter or early spring, rather like small versions of the American or Chinese flowering dogwoods.
Arguable the finest winter flowering shrubs or very small trees, witch hazels, will break into full blossom during the New Year. As a young nurseryman in the seventies, there were very few varieties available; nowadays you could find over 100 cultivars in specialist collections.
Witch hazels are hardy, surprisingly wind tolerant and suitable for most situations other than shallow soils over chalk. They have one real need, good drainage and they absolutely won't tolerate wet feet!
Despite all the improvements, Hamamelis x intermedia 'Pallida' is rightly still a firm favourite with its' strap-like, sulphur yellow flowers and a deliciously sweet perfume. Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane' is still one of the best red flowered varieties and also has fiery autumn colours but little scent. A recent introduction, Hamamelis x intermedia 'Aurora' has especially bold strap like, scented orange yellow flowers and fantastic autumn colour.
Looking now at smaller plants, already the first few buds of winter sweet, Chimonanthus praecox and the Nepalese Daphne bholua are just opening as I write in mid December, their perfume is heavenly, you'll never buy anything that smells so good in a bottle!
Other woody plants will soon burst forth shortly after the New Year, one of my favourites is the winter flowering honeysuckle, Lonicera fragrantissima and Lonicera x purpusii 'Winter Beauty' (both completely indistinguishable to me). This tough, hardy, semi-evergreen shrub is one of the very few plants which will actually perform better in a cold, exposed and open situation. There it will become completely deciduous and far showier as the flowers can't hide behind the foliage.
Connoisseurs might look out for the very rare Lonicera elisae. Sadly this winter flowering species (the first buds are already opening) lacks fragrance but the ivory white flowers are much bolder than Lonicera fragrantissima and, during the summer months the young foliage is flushed with chocolate purple.
Robert Vernon the Younger, is the owner of Bluebell Arboretum and Nursery in south Derbyshire.
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