January 2022

By now, you have most probably cut down a lot of your perennials that have died back although it’s always a good idea to leave some stems standing as they are beneficial to wildlife, such as insects who can hibernate in them. There are always lots of leaves to clear as well (although I expect you are all very efficient and have done that already); when collected, and if you haven’t room for compost bins, they can been put into black plastic sacks, with a few holes punched in and left to make wonderful leaf mould which is so good for the soil. I know it takes a year or so for the transition but I hide the sacks behind the shed and forget about them whilst the magic takes place. With much cut down you can more easily see what needs taking out or dividing and where new interest plants are needed. I have a weeping Caryopteris which, although lovely when in flower has, over time, become very brittle and there are crossing branches which can rub and cause disease. I think it might be time to retire this to the great compost heap in the sky. In its place I would like to plant a Euonymus or Spindle Tree. I love the bright rose pink fruits opening to reveal the orange seeds and some are good for autumn leaf colour. The one I have in mind is E. ‘Red Cascade’.  I also have some clumps of Aster laevis ‘Calliope’ (now re-named Symphotrichum) –  I wrote about it in my last diary and I will no doubt be thinning it out so let me know if you would like a piece. First come, first served.  

 We had a very mild autumn on the whole and many bulbs are starting to push their way through the soil. Many of you know I love snowdrops and, at the time of writing, I already have three named varieties in flower, with a good number to come in January and February. Below are photos of some named snowdrops showing just how diverse they can be – despite the view of many, they are not all the same. However, I also accept that the sight of snowdrops en masse is hard to beat. A number of you will be aware that Judy and Barney have a wonderful display of snowdrops in their wood and are happy for people to walk around to enjoy them. Snowdrops, or to give them their botanical name, Galanthus, belong to the Amaryllidacae family. The most widespread representative of this genus is the common snowdrop Galanthus nivalis. The name is derived from the Greek meaning milk flower. When we have had a long hard winter or just a dull one, seeing these lovely little plants bravely flowering gives me hope that spring will arrive so do try to plant a few if you have none at the moment. And don’t forget that we have a visit to a garden for snowdrops in February. 

Winter aconites or, as they are correctly called, Eranthus, also flower early. They are incorrectly called winter aconites because of the leaf shape which is similar to the leaves of Aconitum or Monkshood. Again, you can buy named varieties but whatever you choose, they are such a cheerful sight with their bright yellow flowers. You might also like to consider planting some other plants that flower early in the season and are more unusual. Trilliums of course, are so beautiful and so called because they have 3 petals and 3 alternating sepals. They like to be in a woodland setting and should not dry out in the summer so choose where you put them carefully, not least because they tend to be expensive to buy. Adonis are also beautiful plants and again, mainly prefer some shade. They are hardy, long lived plants from Europe and Asia that have fern like leaves and mainly (depending on the species or cultivar you choose) yellow, buttercup shaped flowers growing to between 20 and 30cm in height; indeed, they are member of the buttercup or Ranunculaceae family. Lastly, I’ll mention Ypsilandra thibetica – yes, I know it’s a mouthful but it’s a lovely plant from the Himalayas. It has evergreen rosettes of strap like glossy green leaves with vanilla scented flowers that are pale lilac/white. Again, they like shade or part shaded conditions and grow to around 30cm. If you are interested in buying these more unusual plants do have a look at the website of Edrom Nurseries in Scotland– www.edrom-nurseries.co.uk* – they have the most wonderful selection for mail order.

However, bad weather in winter is sometimes the gardeners’ enemy, stopping us from getting on with those important jobs. but there are always things to do indoors or under cover to benefit the garden. You might like to compile a list, area by area in the garden or alphabetically, of all the plants you have. By the time growth starts I have to be honest and say that I cannot always remember what I have planted so a list of my acquisitions is vital! The garden shed invariably needs sorting and tidying – well, mine does. The other major job is choosing the seeds that you want; when considering this don’t forget the offer we have with Dobies; (2023 update - discount is discontinued).  Some interesting winter reading can come via the tales of the Plant Hunters. We tend to take the variety of plants available to us for granted but many miles were travelled and hardships endured by these early plant pioneers. For example, read about the adventures of Ernest Wilson, also known as ‘Chinese’ Wilson and his travels to bring back some of our favourite shrubs such as rhododendrons and azaleas. Or how he introduced Lilium regale - the regal lily, but broke his leg in the process. He always walked with a limp after the break and called it his lily limp!

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy your garden.

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