Dorset & Hampshire Country Gardener Winter 2024

West Parley West Parley

Both Centres are open as usual on Bank Holidays. West Parley closed Easter Sunday

Needle holding Trees available late November

Gardeners cuttings in Dorset & Hampshire

A LOOK AT NEWS, EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS IN YOUR AREA

Old Vicarage - a wildlife garden delight

Look forward to early spring and to see carpets of snowdrops among winter flowering shrubs when The Old Vicarage at East Orchard near Shaftesbury SP7 0BA opens for the National Garden Scheme on Fridays 7th and 14th February and Sunday 16th February, 2pm-5pm each day.

The 1.7 acre well established garden and a developing wildlife garden of just over an acre has hundreds of different snowdrops, crocus, many other bulbs and winter flowering shrubs. A stream meanders down to a pond and there are lovely reflections in the swimming pond, the first to be built in Dorset. The wildlife garden has been planted with several unusual trees. There’s a grotto, a swing and other children’s attractions.

During March the garden opens for the NGS on Friday 14th and Sunday 16th March, then Friday 4th and Sunday 6th April and Friday 16th and Sunday 18th May, from 2pm until 5pm each open day. Admission £5, children free. Home-made teas will be available in the garden but inside if there’s very wet weather. www.ngs.org.uk

New Glow illuminations across 40 sites at RHS Rosemoor

One of the south west’s festive highlights will dominate the December calendar at RHS Garden Rosemoor in north Devon.The impeccably curated landscape will again be transformed into a winter wonderland but this year, for the first time, the Glow illuminations will reach the majestic arboretum, the oldest part of the gardens. The largest installation, standing at an impressive three and a half metres tall, is a five-point star arch adorned with a cascade of warm white cluster lights.

Illuminated artworks of varying scale from the annual Rosemoor Winter Sculpture Exhibition and lively street theatre will add further interest to the trail on the night and there are also weekend Christmas Craft and Food Fairs. You can even steal a march on your Christmas shopping with the fairs on Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th November and Saturday 30th November to Sunday 1st December.

You are advised to book early to secure your preferred time on selected dates between 15th November and 28th December.

RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH

Pre-Order your National Garden Scheme Garden

Visitor’s Handbook 2025

The ever-popular Garden Visitor’s Handbook is available to pre-order from the National Garden Scheme.

Published on 1st February, it will be sent direct to your door providing inspiration for a year of garden visiting to new hidden gems and old favourites. It’s the essential guide to 3,500 gardens opening for the National Garden Scheme.

The handbook has detailed descriptions of every garden, stunning photos, and handy maps and calendars - all the information you need to visit a beautiful garden, knowing your visit is helping support some of the best loved nursing and health charities in the UK.

Country Gardener readers can order the handbook online at a discounted price of £12.99, saving £2 on the RRP £14.99. Use the code CG25. www.ngs.org.uk

“Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle” -Luther Burbank

“I prefer winter... the loneliness of it. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show” -Andrew Wyeth

NEW LEARNING ZONE HIGHLIGHT TO TWODAY TOBY BUCKLAND GARDEN FESTIVAL

Early bird discounted tickets are now on sale for the popular Toby’s Garden Festival back for another two-day celebration of gardening and the great outdoors, set against the backdrop of Powderham Castle, near Exeter. Hosted by BBC Two Gardeners’ World presenter Toby Buckland, the festival is on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd May (10am to 5pm) and will be encouraging everyone to learn a new skill. Visitors will enjoy a full programme of free gardening and food and drink talks, hands-on workshops, demonstrations, tastings, plus live music. Experts headlining the festival include, BBC Two Gardeners’ World presenters Frances Tophill and Joe Swift, as well as BBC 1 Spotlight presenter Victoria Graham, The Daily Telegraph’s drinks’ writer Susy Atkins and awardwinning food writer and gardener, Mark Diacono. Encouraging visitors to discover new talents, hands-on taster experiences available in the ‘Garden Workshop Marquee’ include composting masterclasses with RhizoPhyllia, wildflower and seed-sowing workshops by Meadow in My Garden, art workshops with award-winning artist Harriet de Winton, flower arranging classes with Amelia’s Flower Farm and terrarium-making workshops led by Hutch Houseplants. Visitors can also pre-book in for botanical painting and willow weaving.

Book tickets at www.tobygardenfest.co.uk

JAPANESE GARDEN AT NT KINGSTON LACY WINS ACCLAIM

The Japanese tea garden at NT Kingston Lacy has been named among the loveliest to visit in the UK. The garden was featured alongside six others in a list from The Times newspaper. The garden was the brainchild of Henrietta Bankes, the lady of the manor at Kingston Lacy.

A keen horticulturist, Bankes oversaw the installation of trembling bamboo stems, delicate acer maples, a rockery and emerald reflection pool.

Discussing the reasons for creating the list, the newspaper wrote: “The British-Japanese Exhibition of 1910, a joint project to introduce Brits to Japanese heritage and culture through art, design and technology, prompted Gilbert & Sullivan to write ‘The Mikado’ — and many a whimsical landowner to create their own Japanese-style garden. When you’re admiring the curves and trickles of a Japanese garden, remember nothing here is a coincidence: carefully designed with meaning behind every leaf and rock, they are often asymmetrical, with patches of blank space, audible water features and harmony between natural and man-made objects: a bridge or pavilion against a cascading tree.”

Toby Buckland: “Learning zone a great innovation for the festival”

Carpets of snowdrops and other spring flowers in trio of Hampshire NGS gardens

BRAMDEAN HOUSE, Bramdean, Alresford SO24

0JU opens for the NGS on Sunday 9th February from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, a beautiful five-acre garden, with carpets of aconites, crocuses and other early bulbs. Admission £6.50, children free. Light refreshments available - proceeds to Bramdean Church.

THE DOWN HOUSE Itchen Abbas SO21 1AX opens for the NGS on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th February from 1pm to 4pm. The two-acre garden is laid out in rooms overlooking the Itchen Valley, adjoining the Pilgrim’s Way, with snowdrops, aconites and Crocus tommasinianus, plus borders of dogwoods, willow stems and white birches; scent from daphnes, and honeysuckle. Pleached hornbeams, rope-lined fountain garden, formal box-edged potager, yew-lined avenue and walks in the adjoining meadows. Admission £10, children free. Pre-booking only, through the NGS website at www.ngs.org.uk Home-made teas available. The garden is also open for the NGS by arrangement, from 3rd February to 7th March, for groups of 10-24.

LITTLE COURT, Crawley, Winchester SO21 2PU opens for the NGS on Sunday 16th and Monday 17th February, and Sunday 23rd and Monday 24th February, 2pm to 4.30pm each day, also Sunday 30th and Monday 31st March, 2pm to 5.30pm each open day. A three-acre garden, including a meadow, has carpets of snowdrops, and later in February thousands of scented Crocus tommasinianus have naturalised under the Victorian apple trees, followed by Narcissus ‘White Lady’, then snake’s head fritillary, and finally scarlet Tulipa sprengeri in late May. Admission: £5, children free. Home-made teas. Also open for the NGS by arrangement, from 15th February to 15th July. If you wish to visit The Down House and/or Little Court by arrangement, please go to the NGS website for more details and how to book: www.ngs.org.uk and follow the links.

RSPB Garden Birdwatch 2025 says make it count

The world’s largest garden wildlife survey returns in a few weeks’ time, with hundreds of thousands of people watching and counting the UK’s garden birds over the last weekend in January for the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. In 2024 over 600,000 people took part, counting more than 9.7 million birds, with great support for the count throughout Dorset and Hampshire.

This year’s event takes place on 24th, 25th and 26th January 2025. People are asked to spend an hour watching and counting the birds in their garden or local park, or from their balcony, then send their results to the RSPB.

The watch, which started in 1979, has become a much-loved annual event that gives the RSPB a valuable snapshot of how our garden birds are doing.

Registration for Big Garden Birdwatch 2025 opens 11th December. Details on www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

The parallel event RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch takes place during the first half of spring term, 7th January to 14th February. For more than 20 years, the Birdwatch has helped to connect children and their teachers with nature in their school grounds. Registration for Big Schools’ Birdwatch is now live.

Further information at www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch

WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL CHRISTMAS MARKET IS BACK AGAIN

Winchester Cathedral Christmas market is recognised as one of the best in Europe. This year it runs from 22nd November to 22nd December. It is known for its bustling atmosphere, stunning location and high-quality exhibitors. The cathedral invites many southwest craftsmen to take part - jewellers, painters, glass makers and textile artists.

Winchester Cathedral, Inner Close, Winchester SO23 9LS

Specialist Plant Fairs announce two early season

Dorset events

It’s hard to believe that Rob and Becky Cotterill have been organising the popular Specialist Plant Fairs for ten years now, after taking over from Franchesca Dening. Changes in circumstances have allowed them to increase the number of events in the southwest for 2025.

If you are a regular attendee at plant fairs, you will know they provide wonderful opportunities to buy a wide range of plants from a top-quality selection of nurseries. Whether you are a plant enthusiast looking for unusual plants, have a border that needs revamping or just enjoy browsing beautiful plants, then a Specialist Plant Fair is for you. The owners donate a percentage of the entry fee to local charities including School in a Bag.

Two early fairs next year are Saturday, 22nd March at Digby Hall, Sherborne in Dorset and Sunday, 13th April at Mapperton House, again in Dorset. Details at www.plantfairs.co.uk

Festive lights at Stourhead ready to welcome families

Christmas at NT Stourhead takes on a special theme when the gardens switch on an illuminated trail for the festive season.

Created by award-winning, acclaimed light trail producers, the trail has everything you need for an unforgettable time with friends and family.

Discover hundreds of colour-changing lights stretching out into the distance across the lake, huge feathers floating high into the night sky, sparkling tunnels of light and illuminations.

Peak charges :Adults £24, child £18. Parking £8 per car. Free for National Trust members when booked in advance. The trail runs from 29th November to 1st January. NT Stourhead, Warminster BA12 6QD

Decorated Christmas trees ready to impress in Lyme Regis

The tradition in Lyme Regis to display decorated Christmas trees goes on this year with a three-day celebration. The festival is at the Baptist Church in Silver Street and runs from Friday, 13th December to Sunday, 15th December and will be a spectacular display of trees decorated by different organisations in the town. The festival is a collaboration between the town carnival committee and the Baptist Church and has been getting bigger every year. Baptist Church, Silver St, Lyme Regis DT7 3NY

From everyone at Country Gardener we would like to wish our readers and advertisers a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year

We will be back with our March 2025 edition of the magazine which will be available from stockists and online at www.countrygardener.co.uk from the end of February.

Bramdean House

The Down House Little Court

Big Garden Birdwatch returns in the New Year

Give your Christmas tree some TLC this year

Choosing your Christmas tree is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the festive season. But how do you keep it looking good throughout Christmas and into the New Year? Forestry England’s Christmas tree expert Mark Young reveals his top tips to picking the perfect Christmas tree and how to look after it.

CHOOSE THE BEST VARIETY FOR YOU

For trees that are grown in Britain, I recommend three species: Norway spruce, Nordmann fir and Lodgepole pine.

Each of these tree species is a bit different in size, shape and scent, so choosing one is really down to personal preference.

If you appreciate the traditional look and smell of Christmas, then the Norway spruce is for you. Spruce is a magnificent scent that will make your home smell all Christmassy.

If you have young children the soft, big needles of the lodgepole pine is a great choice. Though it is a bit less common than other varieties and maybe more difficult to find, it’s a fantastic tree with lush green needles and a wonderful pine scent.

And for keeping needles off the carpet, you can’t beat the Nordmann fir. It has soft foliage and an even shape and extra strong branches, making it a real joy to decorate.

Once you have decided which tree is your perfect match, the real fun begins. Our British-grown Christmas trees are available across the nation’s forests.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Trees don’t like fluctuating temperatures or to be too hot, which can cause them to dry out very quickly, so the key is to keep it cool.

Your tree’s natural habitat at this time of year is out in the cold air. Minimise the shock of moving it inside and keep your tree happy by giving it some space away from the radiator. If possible, keep it as far away from any heat as possible. Watering the tree, even cut trees is essential and something too many people neglect. It maybe you have to suspend your cut tree in a bucket which will make watering easier. But either way ensure it is watered every day and make sure the trunk is nicely submerged.

TLC AND MORE TLC

Don’t just get the tree up and decorate it – give some

thought to keeping it at its best. This means keeping away from the heat in the room. Families who complain their tree is losing its needles very quickly are normally those who place it next to a radiator. And remember a Christmas tree is to be enjoyed for as long as possible. Don’t discard it on Boxing Day!

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

The Norway spruce continues to be a popular choice in the UK and is the traditional species for the British Christmas tree. It is the species you will find erected in Trafalgar Square and 10 Downing Street each year. It has the triangular shape, dark green needles, gently drooping branches and a distinctive ‘pine’ fragrance. The dense bushy shape is excellent for decorating. It is relatively quick growing which explains it is apparently cheaper compared to other species. Its one slight drawback is that needle retention is not its strongest point. It does need to be keep well watered and away from direct heat sources. If used outdoors there is no problem.

Nordmann Fir (Abies nordmanniana)

The Nordmann Fir has gained popularity in recent years due to its good needle retention qualities and ability to look good throughout the festivities. Often described as being non-drop, this is not strictly true, but it will retain its needles better than Norway Spruce. It has soft, deep green foliage, smooth grey bark and a good triangular shape. It tends to be slightly more open and less dense than the Norway spruce. The needles when crushed give a very aromatic citrus smell. There are many different quality grades of this species so buyers need to be aware of this when comparing prices.

Blue Spruce (Picea pungens glauca)

Related to the Norway Spruce this is one of the most attractive Christmas Trees. It has a good natural shape and is distinguished by its striking blue-green (sometimes almost electric blue) foliage. It has the distinctive ‘pine’ scent. It commands attention even without decoration. The needles are sharp so care needs to be taken with handling it. Like all spruce it needs to be kept well watered to keep it at its best.

WHAT WILL A CHRISTMAS TREE COST YOU THIS TIME ROUND?

Spot checks on growers and suppliers in the south west seem to suggest that the average price of a standard Christmas tree this year will be £88 but there’s some confusion how they define average.

The price of your Christmas tree has gone up in the last twelve month by as much as 10 per cent to 15 per cent. First and foremost, it all comes down to supply and demand. But Christmas tree farmers have also seen increases in several growing-related costs that will be passed on to the consumer. There are no shortages being reported this year unlike previous years and that has kept many prices stable.

Spot checks suggest the following prices are out in the market.

Cut trees

NORWAY SPRUCE 6ft to 7ft: £50

NORDMANN FIR 6ft to 7ft: £70/£80

BLUE SPRUCE 6ft to 7ft: £85 to £100

Pot grown

NORWAY SPRUCE 4ft: £45

NORDMANN FIR 4ft: £50

BLUE SPRUCE 4ft: £65

HELP PROTECT ENGLAND’S GREEN SPACES WITH CPRE

Since 1926, CPRE has campaigned for a countryside that is rich in nature, accessible for all and protected for the future.

Its proud history includes advocating for rural spaces, National Parks and the Green Belt, as well as ensuring local people have a say on what gets built where they live. Some of CPRE’s recent successes include securing commitments to restore hedgerows and influencing the government’s planning reforms.

Yet the countryside remains under threat now more than ever. CPRE has partnered with Farewill to offer you the opportunity to write your will for free. After providing for your loved ones, please consider leaving a gift in your will to CPRE to let your love of the countryside live on.

For more information on leaving a gift in your will to CPRE, contact us at legacyinfo@cpre.org.uk

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Exeter homeowner John Hall loves decorating his garden at Christmas and urges more of us to join in the fun

Let’s get something straight. When I say I am a huge fan of decorating my garden for Christmas I mean with a certain amount of style and class. Nothing too tacky!

Even so and take a deep breath here.

I normally spend about £1,000 on my Exeter garden decorations every year.

www.mayfieldgardenandlogsupplies.co.uk •

Are you part of a garden club or society?

I have of course built up a backlog of Christmas lights which must be the envy of some town centre shopping arcades but I’d like to propose that more of us take the plunge and go to town this Christmas.

Use fern for a fresh take on your wreath. Cedar is always elegant accentuated with golden bells and a matching bow, and pepper berry on a vine wreath is the perfect way to bring some holiday cheer with a colourful accent. You can also make a fragrant wreath using bay laurel or rosemary – it will fill your home with a sweet scent and, you can dry the herbs and use them later for cooking. Or, if you’re going for a true Christmas classic, embellish silver fir with holy berries.

Send them into us by email giving us 10 weeks notice of the event: timeoff@countrygardener.co.uk or by post to: Mount House, Halse, Taunton, TA4 3AD. DO YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS YOU’D LIKE TO PUBLICISE? It’s free!

Please send us your diary for the year - we’d love to include your talks and shows

It’s great fun, it provides a warm welcome to the house for friends and family and I believe it serves as something to create festive cheer to passers-by.

Why wouldn’t you want to do that? You don’t have to be like me.

I go all out and make my house and garden the envy of the street with elaborate light designs and displays. First things first. I always have a large Christmas tree as the focal point. We should all have outdoor Christmas trees in our gardens fully dressed up with lights and baubles.

If I have a motto for my decorations it is ‘Bring on the lights’.

They are the number-one choice in Christmas decorations for a reason – no festive decoration is complete with them, whether you only choose to outline the front-facing windows, to wrap columns or deck the entire porch with lights.

Here’s some other tips in the hope I can inspire you to do more this Christmas. Use natural objects. If ribbons and toy ornaments are not your things, go au naturel with pinecones, berries, seeds, and even apples and pumpkins instead!

Consider timers for a low-maintenance approach to lighting. An average-sized home will require between two and four 1500-watt plug-in modules to keep the exterior safely lit and perfectly timed.

Put lights in baskets and jars. Reveal the inner glow of an ordinary basket with a 100-bulb string of small pearl lights. Place them inside coiled vine baskets, fill them with clear plastic ornaments and top it with a 50-bulb strand of small white lights. Or, just put the light strands in mason jars and display them across the porch to make a stunning glowing garland.

One new trend of mine is using light projection machines to display Christmas lights. These machines are easy to use and can create great designs, making them a popular choice for holiday garden decorating.

As you plan your outdoor Christmas decorations, don’t forget the power of candles! A few well-placed candles can set the tone for your holiday display. Try grouping together some candles with festive foliage for a stunning look. Will my garden be over the top again this Christmas? Yes of course. Will everyone love it? Yes, they will. It’s Christmas after all but don’t show me the electricity bill next year!

Caring for your roses in winter

A rose in winter needs attention so it can delight us with perfect blooms in late spring and summer. Rose winter pruning is vital for an abundance of beautiful blooms and there’s an increasing trend to give them more protection.

Winter is rough on roses. A rose in winter may go through extremely low temperatures and even an occasional thaw, so needs to be cared for to survive until spring.

To protect the plant, rose winter care should include pruning and wrapping of the bush among other tasks.

English roses are by nature tolerant of the weather and for the most part will cope with wintry weather without too much fuss. And despite their delicate petals, the care needed for a rose in winter may be more related to their thorns. Most rose bushes need some winter chilling to perform well and can withstand brief periods of cold down to 10°F.

The first two things that need to be accomplished to help rose bushes through the winter months are the ending of pruning and fertilising. Do not fertilise your roses into September There is no longer need for them to grow, and the plant will be heading into a period of dormancy. Any major pruning should also be completed by the end of August, however, there are some caveats.

TRIMMING ROSES FOR WINTER

Pruning roses back in the late summer to autumn is a rather contentious subject. There are various camps with differing opinions. For the most part any big pruning should be done before the end of August, however, bushes, especially those with long canes that can get damaged during winter weather, can be pruned out up until early winter.

Do not prune heavily. A heavy prune might mean the loss of the entire plant. Only remove the top third of a rose to reduce potential winter damage. Finish the pruning in the spring when the roses are still dormant but the chance of a hard frost for your area is over.

If the canes on your rose are extremely long, prune the plant down to 18-24-inch healthy canes. Cut less off tea roses in the autumn and instead wait until spring to prune heavily.

DO YOU REALLY NEED TO COVER ROSES IN WINTER?

Most roses are amazingly winter hardy but some such as climbing tea and hybrids need extra attention by covering them. There are a few different methods for covering roses in winter. Increasing research shows that protecting roses in some way will have an impact on the quality of the summer blooms.

Some mound 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) of soil around the base of tender hybrid tea floribunda, grandiflora roses or others that have experienced damage in past winters. To mound properly, take care to cover the bud union on grafted plants.

Another way to cover roses is to make a ring around the bushes with chicken wire or stakes and fill it with dry leaves or straw.

A styrofoam rose cone can also be used. After pruning, mound six to eight inches (15-20 cm) of soil around the base of the plant and then place the cone over the rose, securing it with stakes or staples. Be sure to make some slits in the cone to account for air circulation.

CARING FOR WINTER ROSES Q&A

What do you do with roses in the winter?

Before your first frost, prune roses in containers to 18 to 24 inches high . Remove dead or damaged canes and diseased leaves. Put the containers in an unheated shed or garage or a sheltered spot on the south side of your house. Water just enough to keep the soil from drying out. How cold is too cold for rose?

Most roses can withstand a quick cold snap of temperatures down to 10°F, but it is best to protect them if you expect an extended period when temperatures dip under 20°F.

Do roses lose leaves in winter?

Roses lose their leaves after the first few frosts precede winter. Some varieties will maintain their leaves or, if the plant is growing in a temperate climate, it may hang onto its foliage.

What happens to roses when they freeze?

If we end up getting a freeze or snowing, that kind of temperature will kill off new growths or buds anyway This is why you don’t want to encourage new growth/flowers during this time. If the new growths or buds are already there, just leave them be. Mother nature will take care of it.

Can roses remain in pots over winter?

Roses grown in pots and other containers should be prepared and protected before your garden experiences the first frost.

Pruning the canes back to 18 to 24 inches and removing any damaged or diseased foliage will prepare your plants to go dormant for the winter and make storing them easier.

How many years does a rose bush live?

Many of the modern roses will only live ten years and more unless given exceptional care. Some species and climbing roses will live for 50 years. How do you rejuvenate an old rose bush?

With very old bush and shrub roses the best method is to risk all and prune hard. Cut the main branches back to within 15-20 cm of the ground. Remove any dead stumps. Water, feed and mulch and, trust me, it will push out new growths.

Roses are by nature tolerant of the winter weather

The pulling power of snowdrops

There’s always reasons for garden lovers to be cheerful-even in the gloom of recent November weather. There are certain soon to be days to wrap up and enjoy winter walks. And there’s already an impatience amongst snowdrop lovers for the arrival of these hardy delicate flowers which continue to arouse such affection in late January and February.

The dangling white flower of the snowdrop is an instantly recognisable spring sight in gardens, parks and woodlands. It is perhaps the reason they capture the imagination of gardeners. From January to March these plants emerge from the winter soil and come into flower. Because they are one of the earliest flowering plants to bloom in Britain, snowdrops are often considered a sign of warmer weather ahead and bring the promise of spring. The delicate dropping heads of these small white flowers are a charming sight on a winter’s day and in February particularly, gardens up and down the country open to celebrate their arrival with snowdrop events. Pull on your hat, grab your gloves and feast your eyes on some of mother nature’s finest snowdrops. They are thought to have been introduced to British gardens in the late 15th century from mainland Europe.

In the 1950s, snowdrops would not typically flower until late February, but during the past few decades the teardrops of white have appeared ever earlier, and in particularly mild winters, snowdrops may not even wait for a New Year to begin.

The snowdrop may appear delicate, but it is a hardy little plant, surviving snowfall and cold temperatures. It has long been associated with the winter – its Latin classification, Galanthus nivalis, literally means ‘milk flower of the snow’.

Winter gardens are also much more than just snowdrops, and the combination of bright winter days and garden walks are one of the great temptations of the winter months, so again take every opportunity to wrap up enjoy the fresh air and get outside.

NGS gardens get ready to open for snowdrop displays

After the long winter months, you can start your garden visiting season at one of the National Garden Scheme’s inspirational snowdrop and spring flower gardens. Hundreds of gardens sprinkled with snowdrops - these delightful harbingers of spring - and wonderful, colour contrasting spring blooms including the bright gold of aconites and soft purple of crocus, open their gates to the public from late January through February and into March. Many visits are accompanied by tea and cake or a warming bowl of soup!

Find a garden open near you: ngs.org.uk

Lift your spirits walking amongst Kingston Lacy snowdrops

Visit Kingston Lacy to see snowdrops in all their delicate majesty. From gloriously simple drifts of naturalised bulbs along Lime Avenue and in Nursery Wood to specialist varieties tucked into the sheltered walkways of the Fernery, you can take inspiration from all the different ways these iconic bulbs are used in the garden.

You’ll find other signs of spring as well, with camellias and witch hazel bringing a smack of colour and the rustling leaves of yellow-stemmed bamboo. Lift your spirits with a winter’s walk and welcome the coming year with Kingston Lacy’s snowdrops. Kingston Lacy, Wimborne BH21 4EA www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kingston-lacy

Kingston Lacy snowdrops in Nursery Wood

Immerse yourself in the winter magic at Batsford Arboretum

Discover the enchanting 60-acre arboretum as it showcases its winter splendour; breathe in the sweet fragrances of winter flowering plants and enjoy drifts of stunning snowdrops, aconites, crocuses, and hellebores. After your leisurely walk, warm up with a delicious breakfast, lunch, or afternoon tea at The Garden Terrace Café.

Batsford Garden Centre is a haven for garden and plant lovers too, you’ll find a fantastic selection of quality, affordable plants and gifts. Batsford is open daily, dogs are welcome on a short lead.

Batsford Arboretum & Garden Centre, near Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 9AT Tel: 01386 701441 www.batsarb.co.uk

Walled Gardens of Cannington, a mixture of classic and modern

The popular Walled Gardens of Cannington are an RHS partner garden with a Grade I listed medieval priory backdrop. It is a mixture of classic and modern features, including a ‘hot’ border, sub-tropical walk, blue garden, Mediterranean garden, shade border, Southern hemisphere and a winter garden. Home to Somerset’s only botanical glasshouse, featuring hundreds of different species from around the world such as the magnificent jade vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys). There’s also a gift shop, tearoom and specialist plant nursery; plants are propagated on-site and sold at great prices! Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 3pm/4pm/5pm (seasonal), year-round excluding two weeks at Christmas. Last admission to the Gardens is one hour before closure. The Walled Gardens holds a variety of events and special offers throughout the year suitable for all age groups. Please check the website for further information.

Walled Gardens of Cannington, Church Street, Cannington TA5 2HA Tel: 01278 655042 Email: walledgardens@btc.ac.uk

Enjoy magical winter walks in the arboretum, browse our selection of plants and gifts and treat yourself to a delicious breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea from our café. A perfect day out for all the family – including the dog!

www.batsarb.co.uk

BATSFORD ARBORETUM AND GARDEN CENTRE

Batsford, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire GL56 9AT. Tel: 01386 701441 E: arboretum@batsfordfoundation.co.uk BatsfordArboretum@BatsfordA

walledgardens@btc.ac.uk

colour contrasts on a crisp and bright winter’s day. Our botanical glasshouse is full of life with tropical and sub-tropical species in bloom during the coldest months of the year.

Scan the QR code to check our website for more information.

Cerney House Gardens

A Romantic English Garden in the UK Cotswolds

Walled garden set in 46 acres of countryside

* Large variety of snowdrops & hellebores

* Medicinal Herb gardens

* Wildlife and woodland walks

* Refreshments available

Open daily, 10-7pm Admission: £7 adults, £1 children

Telephone 01285 831300 www.cerneygardens.com

Cerney House Gardens, North Cerney, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 7BX

SNOWDROPS MIX WITH HELLEBORES IN ROMANTIC SETTING AT CERNEY HOUSE

Cerney House gardens is a romantic English garden, with a beautiful secluded Victorian walled garden dislaying an informal planting scheme.

The season starts in February with drifts of snowdrops throughout the snowdrop trail and rarer snowdrops are featured in the walled garden. Also featured is a very extensive array of hellebores. Enjoy the woodland walk and nature trail.

Discover a medicinal herb garden and children’s trail. Tea, coffee and homemade cakes in the Bothy tearoom. Dogs welcome. Open daily from 10am-7pm (dusk). £7 for adults and £1 children. Cerney House Gardens, North Cerney, Cirencester GL7 7BX Tel: 01285831300 email: janet@cerneygardens.com www.cerneygardens.com

Possibly the final fabulous ‘Festival of Snowdrops’ at East Lambrook Manor

Somerset’s famous cottage garden at East Lambrook Manor will be celebrating the snowdrop season with its annual Festival of Snowdrops. Enjoy a stroll through a beautiful winter snowdrop garden and view its extensive collection of unusual snowdrops. As many will know, the property is on the market, so this may be the final festival.

The celebrated plantswoman and gardening writer Margery Fish, who created the iconic cottage garden, was a fan of double flowers so it is not surprising that she was delighted by a gift of the double snowdrop, Galanthus ‘Ophelia’.

“It’s such a welcome sight to see the sides of The Ditch carpeted with snowdrops in February,” says current owner Mike Werkmeister, “and it’s where all the unusual snowdrops named for previous owners were found, most notably G. ‘Margery Fish’. It’s the sight I shall miss most when I move.”

The best time to visit is mid-February as, if the weather is warm as in 2024, the snowdrops can be over before the month is out. Around 90 varieties will be on sale in the nursery along with hellebores and other spring plants, and sculptor Chris Kampf will be exhibiting his popular steel snowdrops.

The garden is open Tuesday to Sunday throughout February, 10am to 5pm. Garden entry £7 under 16s free. The NGS Snowdrop Open Day is on Friday 14th February, with all entry money going to charity. No charge if just visiting the nursery.

East Lambrook Manor Gardens, Silver Street, East Lambrook, South Petherton TA13 5HH Tel: 01460 240328 Email: enquiries@eastlambrook.com www.eastlambrook.com

Country Gardener

Colesbourne snowdrops ‘some of the best in the country’

As featured on BBC TV’s Countryfile in 2024, the snowdrop collection at Colesbourne Park, southeast of Cheltenham in the Cotswolds, is one of the best in the country with over 250 plus different varieties. Started by plant collector Henry John Elwes FRS with the outstanding Galanthus ‘elwesii’, which he found in Turkey in 1874, the collection has been greatly enhanced in recent years by great-grandson Sir Henry Elwes and his late wife Carolyn.

In February visitors can explore the gardens, woodland and lakeside paths to see huge banks of snowdrops and other winter plants. The surrounding park, arboretum and nearby church are also open during the season.

Colesbourne Park, Colesbourne, Cheltenham GL53 9NP Tel: 01242 870264

Email: hwg@colesbourne.net www.colesbournegardens.org.uk

A CAPTIVATING WINTER STROLL AROUND NT KNIGHTSHAYES

Visitors can enjoy a stroll around the gardens at NT Knightshayes this winter, home to one of the most extensive plant collections found in the care of the National Trust. Discover farreaching views of the parkland with veteran and champion trees within a Kemp designed landscape. For those with a passion for trees, conifers such as Wollemia pine and the largest Giant Redwood in Devon can be found inside the formal and woodland gardens, along with the beginnings of early spring flowers. Venture into the woodland garden to discover Garden in the Woods, a rare example of a mid-20th century ‘Plantsmans’ garden containing the remains of one of the most eclectic plant collections in the country, which is currently being reinstated to its former glory by a team of gardeners and volunteers. There is something to captivate every plant lover in this special garden. NT Knightshayes, Bolham, Tiverton EX16 7RQ

OVER 300 VARIETIES OF SNOWDROPS AT OLD COURT NURSERIES

A visit to The Picton Garden at Old Court Nurseries in February allows you to explore this treasure box garden at the very beginning of the gardening year. Over 300 varieties of snowdrops can be found as you meander around the garden, vast swathes light up the borders, and dainty clumps punctuate carpets of purple crocus and vibrant pink cyclamen. Hellebores and other spring gems catch the eye while the bright coloured stems of cornus and birch lift the subtle winter flowering shrubs that bring delicious scent to this fascinating garden.

Old Court Nurseries, Walwyn Road, Colwall WR13 6QE 01684 540416 www.autumnasters.co.uk

Snowdrops andFlowersSpring

the

Snowdrops at Colesbourne Park ‘England’s greatest snowdrop garden’

The historic home of snowdrops in the heart of the Cotswolds, home to 250 named varieties. Open weekends in February to visitors and self-guided coach groups, both are also able to arrange pre-booked weekday guided tours. All coaches are required to book visits in advance. Colesbourne Park is well signposted on the A435 halfway between Cheltenham and Cirencester.

Contact details for more information: Telephone: 01242 870264

Email: hwg@colesbourne.net

Or see our website: www.colesbournegardens.org.uk

YOU CAN’T STOP GARDENING in winter

Ex-Devon policeman Malcolm Foster is now a passionate gardener in retirement, and he writes that keeping gardening throughout the winter months is one of the secrets of getting ready for next spring

Gardeners I talk to agree. If you are looking for a month when there isn’t so much to do in the garden then try August.

What you can’t do is forget about the garden in November, December and January. If you do spring will catch you unawares, you will always be behind and the whole growing season will pass you by as you strive to catch up. It’s as simple as that. I retired from the police force seven years ago and am proud to say I spend a lot of time gardening and I love it.

I get your wonderful magazine every month and love how you can get people to write in with their individual stories.

I thought I should have a go. So, my theme to share is the importance of keeping gardening as much as possible as the weather allows during the winter months.

I am not being over the top but most days I can get out and spend a couple of hours gardening. There are days which are right offs but not that many and they tend to be the frozen days of January or February. Apart from that you’d be amazed at how often if you are properly dressed it is possible to keep gardening.

So, what are some of the winter jobs? Winter is a good time to dig a new border. Leave the soil in clumps. The winter rain and frost will help to break it down naturally. This will also expose any pests to natural predators and the cold.

Digging over vegetable plots or preparing new ones can also be done during winter for the same reasons.

Is your lawn bumpy? The winter is a good time to remove sections of turf, add/remove soil and relay.

Some plants are dormant during the winter so they can be supplied as bare root plants (with no soil). Roses are often bought this way.

It might be possible to safely dig up and move dormant plants to another part of the garden.

If the soil is not frozen or waterlogged, these dormant plants can be planted before they ‘wake-up’ in the spring.

Bulbs are often planted in late autumn. Herbaceous plants are often divided and replanted in early spring. When this happens will likely depend on your local climate.

Lawn seed can be applied in the winter. Grass grows above 5°C.

Only heavy frost and snow slows down a gardener!

The winter is typically a time for storms and strong winds. Keep leaves cleared. Good garden hygiene also helps to reduce diseases. Decomposing leaves and other debris on hard standing will supply enough nutrients for weeds to self-seed in cracks, grow and then spread. They can also make paths slippery.

Weeds will continue to grow during a mild winter. Remember, when your spring flowering bulbs and border plants start to flower, the borders will be harder (more time consuming) to weed. It makes sense to keep them tidy before spring. Also, many weeds are seasonal. Weeds make more weeds. Regular weeding means less weeding.

WINTER WALKS

THE winter garden

IS STILL FULL OF JOBS

Just because winter is here, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do in the garden. It’s common to think that into November the garden is ‘put to bed for winter’ and that there are few winter gardening jobs and generally, not much going on. No, the quietest time for gardening is August, not the winter - spring will be on us quickly and its so easy to get caught out with jobs still to be done.

Winter can feel like a gloomy time in the garden. The flowers of high summer are a distant memory, the rain is here to stay and the change of the clocks has put paid to any hope of working in the evenings.

From looking after your garden tools, to splitting plants and planting bulbs for the seasons ahead, getting outside in your garden in the winter months can be rewarding and give you a chance to breathe fresh air and stay connected to the outdoors.

2

Cover the ground

If you have an allotment, and you’re not planting a crop to over-winter, cover your empty veg beds with landscaping fabric or cardboard and weigh it down with planks and bricks. This will keep the weeds down over winter, and the soil will warm up quicker in spring. Covering beds also prevents loss of nutrients from the soil due to rain and wind.

3

Christmas tree options

Many gardeners and home owners will be thinking about Christmas trees, and this year why not think about a potted pine tree. As consumers have become more conscious of the environment the demand for potted Christmas trees continues to grow. As well as saving you money (with a little care, a potted tree can be brought back inside next Christmas), it’s the most eco-friendly option as it can be planted in your garden after the festive period, giving you and your family, not to mention the wildlife, great pleasure.

If you do opt for a pre-cut tree, don’t be too quick to bin it after the Christmas celebrations are over, as there’s still so much to gain from it. Shred it for chippings to spread on ericaceous plants, such as blueberries, or use it for garden paths. The branches can also make useful plant supports for peas and broad beans.

1

Time to deal with your fruit trees

Fruit trees are dormant now, so it’s safe to prune them. You need to remove dead, diseased and damaged wood, and eliminate any instances of branches crossing and rubbing against each other - remove the weaker one. Wear gloves, use sharp, clean tools, and cut at an angle, so that the face of the cut angles downwards, allowing rain to run off it and preventing it rotting.

Generally, it’s also time to see what needs cutting back in the garden. It also gives you the opportunity of removing the 3Ds - dead, diseased and dying wood. Use sharp secateurs, and long loppers, and reduce the upright stems of apples and pears by one third. This will produce plump fruit buds on nobbly spurs.

Pears are more lightly pruned than apples. Aim to create an airy shape, but if you remove an entire branch leave a stump so that it can callous over. You can also reduce the leaders on gooseberries and redcurrants now. Stone fruits are given a lighter pruning in early summer, once the sap’s running, as silver leaf disease can enter cut made in winter.

5

Where would you like to sit?

These winter months are an ideal time to think about seating in your garden. What’s genuinely surprising is how many different spots in the garden capture warm(-ish) winter sun. As one of your winter gardening jobs you might need to identify the sunniest place for morning coffee and another for afternoon tea but it’s worth it and it feels like a discovery, even if you’ve had your garden for years.

Cut plant supports

4

Take hardwood cuttings

Hardwood cuttings provide an easy and reliable method of propagating a range of deciduous climbers, trees and shrubs, and as bonus, they are taken from mid-autumn until late winter when more time is usually available to the gardener. Some evergreen plants, hollies for example, can also be taken at the same time of year as other hardwood cuttings.

6

Coppice some hazel if you have a friendly source nearby. The straight and sturdy stems can be used to make bean supports and wigwams. The frilled fingers or branches are perfect for making flower supports. Stick three to five stems above the plant now, before growth gets going. Place these in a circle facing inwards and weave the pliable ends into each other to create a firm structure for the emerging plant to grow through. It will not only look attractive providing welcome structure now but will disappear once the foliage grows.

Priority is bare root plants. Winter is the time for planting bareroot plants (plants sold without any soil around the roots).

It’s an economical way of planting and you’ll find a much wider variety of fruit trees and bushes are available this way. You can also plant bareroot roses, hedges and even perennials.

Mulch as much as you can Clear weeds, and mulch all growing beds. Not only will this help protect plants from the harsh weather, but it will also provide nutrients and suppress weeds. Bark chippings keep garden beds and borders looking sharp throughout winter or consider using leaf mould or garden compost.

8

9

Order your seeds

Pre-Christmas is the time to order seeds. Popular varieties can sell out quickly.

In particular, make sure you order seed potatoes, onions sets and garlic bulbs. Go for reliable, disease free varieties with AGM and F1 status. With potatoes it is well worth picking blight free varieties like Sarpo. Sarpo Miro is an excellent all-rounder, a maincrop potato with nice taste, good texture and exceptional blight resistance. Once your seed potatoes have arrived they can be put in a light, cool, dry spot to chit. Large egg trays are a good way of cupping the potatoes so that they stand with the leaf buds top most without touching one another.

Protect plants from the cold

Add cloches to winter salads to protect them from the weather and pests and wrap pots of half-hardy plants in bubble wrap or fleece. Bring tender plants indoors or put them in a greenhouse.

10

Clean your pots and trays

A bucket of soapy water, a duster and a wet cloth is all you need. Dust off the worst of the dirt and then it’s into the warm soapy water. If the weather’s kind, don the winter woollies and get outside and absorb some much-needed Vitamin D. If not, find a spot under cover. Then you’ll be ready for your seed sowing in a few weeks.

Larger plastic pots can be placed outside before heavy rain.

11

Connecting with winter and nature

Winter can be tough for people and wildlife, but it’s not all bleak – the season has a beauty all its own. It’s important to stay connected with the natural world, even during the darkest, coldest months. While some species have flown south or tucked themselves away for the winter, you needn’t do the same.

By putting out additional food, gardeners can make a significant contribution to supporting wildlife over winter. It is also a great way to watch wildlife even in the smallest of gardens or balconies, often at very close quarters. Winter shouldn’t be a time to hide away and forget what is going on outside our windows and doors. It should be a time to get involved and see what’s going on with the diversity of wildlife that cannot only survive but thrive.

SMALL BIRDS

In winter, small birds rove the woodland in large mixed-species foraging parties. Their quiet ‘tit-tit’ contact calls give away their presence. Look up to see blue tits, coal tits, great tits, long-tailed tits, or chaffinches and bramblings flitting between the bare branches. While most other birds have given up their song for the winter, robins redouble their efforts. This makes winter a perfect time to really get to know the robin’s whistly tune. By spring, you’ll be able to pick him out in the dawn chorus.

BIRDS ON THE MOVE

At dusk, starlings, in their spotty winter plumage, gather in mindboggling murmurations before dropping into their night-time roosts. In the bare treetops, rookeries are revealed and jackdaws, rooks and crows make a noisy spectacle on their way home to roost every evening. Partially frozen lakes, rivers and streams force kingfishers to stay and hunt in the same spots for longer, giving us the chance to catch more than a glimpse of electric blue. Redwings and fieldfares feast on hedgerow berries. Early winter twilight means you are more likely to encounter a barn owl hunting along country roads on your way home.

Do’s and don’ts over the next three months

• Do pick up fallen leaves. Thick mats of leaves will smother the lawn and promote fungal growth.

• Don’t let perennial weeds overwinter in flowerbeds. The roots will become well-established during the winter months, which makes weeding much harder next year.

• Do deadhead flowers with invasive tendencies. Seeds from manageable species can be left in place as winter forage for wild birds.

• Don’t trim shrubs or fertilise during the winter months. These tasks can stimulate premature growth and result in damage to the plant.

• Don’t let your irrigation system freeze. Follow manufacturers recommendations for purging and winterising your sprinkler system. Do clean off the vegetable garden and properly dispose of diseased or pest-infected vegetation.

• Don’t leave container plants outdoors without protection. Move the planters close to the foundation of the house, bury them in the ground, or cover with a heat-retentive blanket. Better yet, move containers into a garage or storage area.

WILDLIFE YOU WON’T SEE IN WINTER

Our reptiles spend winter hibernating. You’re unlikely to see them until they come out to bask in spring – unless you happen to disturb one while turning your compost heap. Hedgehogs, dormice and bats are also tucked away in hibernation. In winter, insects less hardy than the winter gnat appear absent. Of course, they are still all around us, just hidden away in various life-stages.

WHERE AND WHEN DO HEDGEHOGS HIBERNATE?

To prepare for their hibernation, hedgehogs eat as much as they can during autumn. To build up good fat reserves for winter, they munch all the beetles, caterpillars and earthworms they can find. They then seek out a quiet spot to rest for the coming months, making use of whatever materials and hiding places they can find. They might build their own winter shelter – known as a hibernaculum - from dead leaves, twigs and feathers. In urban areas, they can take up residence in stacks of logs, compost heaps or under garden sheds.

The time they retire to their chosen spot will depend on how mild the weather is. Hibernation can take place any time from October to April, but in a warmer winter you may still see hedgehogs out and about in December.

HOW TO HELP HEDGEHOGS

Hedgehogs can be found in woodland edges, hedges, farmland, parks and gardens, but numbers have dropped dramatically. Our rural hedgehog population has halved since 2000. They are less common in gardens too as lots of perimeter fencing and tidier outdoor spaces prevent them from moving around so easily.

You can help local hedgehogs through hibernation by putting food in an accessible place and providing a safe shelter for them.

If you spot a hedgehog that looks too small to survive hibernation, contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society for advice. www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/ DORMICE

The hibernation period for dormice begins around October to November. They stay in their nests until April or May. These tiny creatures slow their heartbeat and breathing and lower their body temperature to just a few degrees above freezing. They can lose half their body weight over winter, so they eat so much at the end of summer that they grow to twice their normal size!

BATS

Bats hunt for hollow trees, roofs, caves and bat boxes to spend their winter months. They usually hibernate from November to April. To help get them through this period, bats can slow their breathing to as few as five breaths a minute. Some species can last almost an hour without breathing at all!

INSECTS

The hum and buzz of spring and summer turns almost silent in winter as bees and butterflies find overwinter homes. Queen bees will gorge on pollen and nectar to store fat before burrowing deep into the soil in early autumn. They can stay there for up to nine months.

Most butterfly species spend winter in the larval stage, but some hibernate as adults, including the brimstone, peacock and comma. They settle down in outdoor structures like sheds and farm buildings and enter a dormant state as the weather turns cold. They wake again around April or May.

BUMBLEBEES

Ever wondered where bees go in winter? Surprisingly, they don’t all perish once autumn is over. Different bee species have special strategies and adaptations to help them conquer the cold.

Even bumblebees, who are swaddled in a luxurious fur coat, can’t survive out in the cold temperatures. Plus, insects don’t have access to enough food to survive in winter.

The UK is home to more than 250 species of bee, including 24 different types of bumblebee and one domesticated honeybee. The rest – around 90 per-cent, in fact – are all solitary bees. They’re all very different, and they don’t all behave the same way in winter.

When the rest of the colony dies at the end of summer, queen bumblebees do something more associated with hedgehogs – they hibernate. After gorging on nectar and pollen to build up vital fat stores, they hide away underground in loose soil, banks of earth and even occasionally flowerpots.

When spring blooms, the queens emerge from their winter isolation to replenish their energy with nectar. They’ll then find their perfect nest site and, having mated before they hibernated, lay their first brood of eggs in early summer.

SOLITARY BEES

Solitary bees like tawny mining bees and red mason bees follow a different winter survival strategy. Instead of hibernating as adults after a season on the wing, the females mate and lay eggs in their nest cells towards the end of spring. When the grubs hatch, they stay in the cell right through the summer, feeding on stores of pollen left by the female bee. By the end of autumn, the grubs will have pupated and matured into adult bees, but they don’t emerge just yet. They hibernate in their cocoons until the following spring, when they’ll emerge to feed from early blooms.

PLANTS WHICH SHINE IN WINTER

Hazel catkins

Hazel catkins, like little cigars, are exposed by the leaf fall. Watch them from January as they transform into yellow lamb’s-tails. The tiny female hazel flowers are a speck of hot pink against the grey palette of winter, but you’ll have to look closely to find them.

Wild clematis (Clematis vitalba)

Wild clematis, traveller’s joy, old man’s beard, grandfather’s whiskers, bedwine., Clematis vitalba has a multitude of colourful English names. It is a climbing plant, with long, twining stems that ramble through hedges and bushes, often on motorway verges, beside railways or along the edges of woods.

For much of the year, it is unobtrusive, hidden among all the other foliage, though you might catch the sweet scent of its flowers on summer evenings. But in winter, it really comes into its own. The plant’s abundant seedheads, which are greyishwhite and wispy like cobwebs or feathers, frequently cover its supporting hedge or bush, hence the old names that often reference facial hair.

MUNTJACS

With their pint-sized stature and fondness for lurking in dense undergrowth, muntjacs often fly under the radar. But in winter, vegetation dying back improves your chances of a sighting. The introduced deer – originally from south-east China – are most active around dawn and dusk. Look out for animals the size of a collie, with a hunch-backed profile and tiny, hook-like antlers in males.

Hart’s-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium)

Ferns are ancient, flowerless plants that reproduce not with seeds but with vast quantities of spores.

Ferns become more visible in winter, when many flowering plants die back and take a back seat. One of the most distinctive species is hart’s-tongue fern, whose wide, leathery, strap-like leaves look – ironically – rather ‘unferny’.

Since medieval times, holly has been

gathered at Christmas to decorate churches and houses, the blood-red berries supposedly offering protection from evil. Back then, superstitious people may have wondered why only some trees bear fruit, but today we know the answer.

Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Each holly tree is male or female, a condition known as dioecious, and that makes self-pollination impossible. So, although all hollies have white flowers in spring, only female trees will go on to produce berries, which develop from fertilised flowers. They can only do that, of course, if male trees are nearby to supply the necessary pollen.

Technically, the fruit is the stone-like part in the middle; the scarlet skin is the exocarp, while the orangey flesh is the mesocarp. Of all our garden birds, blackbirds and thrushes are especially fond of holly berries.

Bat Bumblebees

Muntjac

Dormouse

THE BEAUTY OF UK GARDENS CALLS HOLIDAYMAKERS

Next year a record number of holidays to UK gardens from Devon to Scotland and Cornwall to Yorkshire are set to attract garden visitors

Do you love exploring beautiful gardens? A lot of hands-on gardeners do as they take a break from work in their own garden to visit sensational gardens from Devon to Yorkshire and from Holland to Italy.

There’s no better escape for passionate gardeners than a great garden holiday, where you can enjoy the best of nature in some breath-taking outdoor attractions.

Gardening holidays are about to boom again. From the ancient gardens of Croatia to the baroque gardens of

France, the Moorish landscapes of Spain or even the more landscaped gardens of Dorset and Yorkshire the demand for bookings for garden lovers to combine their passion with their holiday is expected to reach record levels

Garden travel historian and writer author Trinny Collins says the traditional conservative approach to gardening holidays is changing.

“UK gardens are the prime target for 2025 and although the glamour gardens of France, Italy and Spain are always

Your passport to wonderful holiday adventures, year after year

If you enjoy travel and are looking forward to clocking up the airmiles next year, The Holiday Property Bond (HPB) is a popular alternative to purchasing a holiday home and also bridges a gap for anyone seeking an alternative to their usual holiday experience.

There’s no better escape for a green-fingered traveller than a destination boasting beautiful gardens. HPB offer a superb range of getaways from olive groves in sun-drenched Tuscany and the unspoilt delights of the island of La Gomera, to lush country gardens in the Cotswolds or the rolling Yorkshire Dales. Situated in stunning locations, most properties also have a range of excellent facilities on site, including heated swimming pools, gym equipment, games rooms and libraries.

The portfolio currently includes more than 1,500 holiday homes in over 30 exclusive UK and European destinations. Discover this refreshing new approach to the way you plan and enjoy your holidays. You can even pass the benefits on to your children and grandchildren so they will have a lifetime of wonderful holidays to look forward to.

For more information about HPB, see pages 18-19 and read about ‘exclusive holidays for life’.

SPRING FLOWERS AT KEUKENHOF AN EARLY 2025 SEASON DELIGHT

Bath based Floral Tours are a popular group travel operator that specialises only in horticultural and floral tour and have over 26 years’ experience focussing on tailored trips. The variety of tours on offer remains impressive. They are the only group travel operator which specialises only in horticultural and floral tours.

Gardens of North Devon is a tour available throughout the year taking in the sites of well-known and not so well-known gardens and estates. One of the highlights of the programme next year is the spring visit to Holland to what is acknowledged as the most beautiful spring garden in the world-Keukenhof held from 20th March to 11th May.

More than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths fill over 32 hectares with colour and fragrance. The pavilions feature 30 alternating flower and plant shows. Discover the latest trends in gardening and get new ideas from seven inspirational gardens. Tel: 01225 913106 Email: infro@floraltours.co.uk www.floraltours.co.uk

an attraction there’s a real desire to see of the beautiful gardens of Yorkshire, Scotland and closer to home in Devon. The quality of some of these gardens are suburb and winning visitors in large numbers.

“There is also an added security available for travellers with a change in attitude of many travel companies of looking more sympathetically about insurances and cancellation policies.”

Boscrege, a Cornish experience to dream of awaits you

Boscrege Caravan and Touring Park in Cornwall is a peaceful and picturesque park, set at the foot of Tregonning Hill, Godolphin National Trust and amongst tranquil Cornish lanes in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The park, open all year is close to the l Cornwall coast and a few minutes’ drive to Praa Sands, one of Britain’s nicest beaches. So, if you are looking to take a luxury holiday (doggie friendly with dog friendly homes and on-site designated fields for the dogs too) in Cornwall in a either a selfcatering caravan, lodges touring or even purchasing your own holiday home then contact Boscrege Caravan and Touring Park. Boscrege Caravan Park, Boscrege, Ashton, Cornwall TR13 9TG Tel: 01736 762231 www.caravanparkcornwall.com

• Floral Tours are working in partnership with Country Gardener to offer readers three tailored tours for 2025:

• Keukenhof 2 - 5 April 2025

• Monet’s Garden Tour 15 - 19 June and 8 - 12 September 2025

• The Delights of Yorkshire 28 July - 1 August 2025

If you would like to join us on these tours please call Pat at Floral Tours.

• UK Garden Tours and Events We have programs for UK tours and events that we can tailor to your club preferences if this is your choice please give us a call.

Discover the exclusive world of the Holiday Property Bond

If you become a Bondholder with the Holiday Property Bond, you can take your pick from hundreds of stunning properties set in beautiful grounds and award-winning gardens.

There’s no better escape for a green-fingered traveller than a destination boasting beautiful gardens – a restful place where you can sit back, relax and soak up your surroundings free from any distractions.

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Gardening advice over winter

If you have any queries on gardening issues you would like some help on them let us know by emailing Garden Advice, editorial@countrygardener.co.uk

We have just moved into a new Devon garden and I would like to plant a rose bed. I want to do things properly and have the ideal soil for this. I am not sure what it should be.

Katie Lloyd Exeter

Roses are in fact very tolerant of different types of soil, but you should aim for a good, well drained medium loam soil not too acid and not too alkaline. Clay soils retain moisture which roses like, but they may need breaking up for good home-grown compost. Don’t let the soil be too light which will drain away nutrients, so again look to boost the soil with compost and of course mulching.

A young ash tree in my garden suddenly lost its leaves this spring. When I looked closely, I saw small holes in the bark and what looks like sawdust around them. Is there some beetle at work here?

Phillipa Howell Poole

It may be the tree is infested with caterpillars of the leopard moth. They feed on the wood for about three years and grow to about four inches and are dark coloured. Bad attacks can kill a tree. If only a few branches are affected cut them off and burn them. It they are more widely spread fill with holes with a soap solution.

What can I do to help my hardy fuchsias to over winter successfully?

Liam Nicholson Taunton

If it is going to be a harsh winter with nights of frost then you really have no option but to overwinter the plants in a greenhouse or conservatory. If the winter is going to be milder you can help the plants by cutting the stems back in late autumn and make some holes around each plant to help water drain away and by piling leaf mould or fresh compost round the base of the plant to protect it. It is really all about keeping an eye on the weather.

I want to propagate a large berberis in my garden so that eventually I can make a people proof hedge around my house. What is the most reliable method to propagate it?

Hanna Jackson Minehead

You can take half ripe (firm but bendy) cuttings in the autumn from side shoots of the current year’s wood. Cut the shoots six inches long each with a plug of hardwood at the base so it resembles a mallet and trim off the soft tip. Insert the cuttings around the edges of pots in sandy compost and root them in a closed cold frame. The following spring, line out the rooted cuttings in nursery rows outdoors. Grow them on for a couple of years before transplanting them to their permanent position.

I really do love lilies and during the summer spend a lot of money buying them for flower arranging. I had the thought that it might be an idea for me to grow them but are they easy to grow and will it be worth the effort?

Lilliam Preston Painswick

Lilies are not difficult to grow for cut flowers and they can easily be grown in containers if space is a problem. Three bulbs of the smaller kinds can be grown in an eight-inch pot. Tall trumpet lilies need more space. In the border lilies need a very well-drained soil with plenty of humus. They like their faces in the sun and their toes in the shade so it’s an idea to plant them between shrubs or in a mixed border. Plant with at least four inches of soil over the bulbs. In general, they are vigorous stem rooters and need to be well mulched.

Over the past few season my raspberry crop has become very poor. The canes are stunted and the leaves distorted and mottled with yellow. Is there anything I can do to improve the cropping as now they are not worth the space they are taking up in the garden.

Will Grahame Bridport

It seems your raspberries have been infected badly to have deteriorated so quickly. It is one or more of the virus diseases which raspberries can be prone to or even mycoplasmas which is worse news. There is no cure for this type of infection so you should dig everything up and burn the plants. Replace them with certified healthy stock, planting them on a fresh site well away from the previous planting.

Is it possible to grow an avocado plant from a stone? My children keep asking me to try it.

Siobhan Greene Poole

Yes, it is possible, but you might need a bit of patience. Pierce the avocado stone with three cocktail sticks and suspend it in a jar of water so that the bottom of the seed just touches the water. Place the jar in a propagator on a warm windowsill ideally and it should germinate within a couple of months. Once several strong roots have developed transfer it carefully to a pot of moist compost and gradually harden the plant off so that it can be put in a well-lit draught free position.

I try and grow lettuces most of the year round and use the greenhouse for winter crops. Some of my lettuces which were just beginning to heart in early September have suddenly wilted and collapsed. I find that the tap roots have been cut through somehow just below soil level, but I can’t find any evidence of slugs or other pests.

Vic Downs Exmouth

Your lettuces have been almost certainly attacked by cutworms. These are the large dingy coloured caterpillars of various moths which live in the soil, so you need to check the soil around the base of nearby plants. You should be able to get rid of them by hand but if there are too many get an organic fertiliser and help the soil with some home-made compost.

Can I plant my new roses is the bed from which I have removed older ones?

Isla King Dorchester

Not unless the soil is changed first- which can be a daunting job if it is a large bed. The old soil may have become what is known as ‘rose sick’ and even if you add compost or fertiliser the new roses probably won’t do well. It is better to choose another site. If you do want to plant an odd new rose in an existing bed, dig out as much soil as possible without doing damage to nearby plants - making the hole 18 inches deep and 30 inches across.

I seem to lose a lot of plants during the winter and I wonder if there are any general rules which might help me keep more of them. It is becoming quite expensive to keep on replacing them.

Rachel Kingston Swindon

The great enemy of plants when temperatures are low over winter is dampness or over watering. During very cold spells it is best not to water at all; plants which are dormant or resting should in any case be watered very sparingly - perhaps just enough to prevent them from completely drying out. Plants with fleshy roots and bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes must be kept quite dry and frost free or they will rot. One way to look after them is to store in containers of dry sand. The greenhouse atmosphere must also be kept on the dry side and remember to ventilate well when the general temperature allows.

Country Gardener CROSSWORD

WIN £100 IN RHS GIFT TOKENS

Our popular gardening themed crossword is compiled by Saranda which over the past year has become enormously popular with readers. The winning entry to be drawn by us will receive £100 of RHS gift tokens. Completed entries should be sent to Mount House, Halse, Taunton, Somerset TA4 3AD. Closing date Friday, 13th December. The October issue winner was Annie MacDonagh from Exmouth.

ACROSS

1. A small garden building such as a belvedere (6)

4. Spring-flowering plant of the iris family (6)

8. Allium sativum (6)

13. A name sometimes given to sow thistle (6)

14 & 43. A SEASONAL GREETING FROM SARANDA (5, 9, 2, 3, 9)

16. Toxicodendron vernix (6, 6)

17. A citrus hybrid fruit (8)

18. Table centrepiece typically for holding fruit (7)

19. Cordyline australis as often seen in Torbay (7, 4)

22. Sussex steam railway named after a favourite wild flower (8, 4)

23. Navy vegetable? (4)

27. Aplectrum hyemale or putty root (4, 3, 3)

29. Ideal for growing tomatoes and delicate plants (10)

31. A cheeky child or Yorkshireman (4)

32. Name of easy-growing plants of genus Alchemilla (5, 7)

37. A dishonest person or decomposing fruit (6, 5)

38. Taxus baccata, frequently found in churchyards (3, 4)

40. Relating to the fourth stomach of cud-chewing animals (8)

41. Gluttony or extreme piggishness (12)

43. See 14

44. Indian gooseberry or Malacca tree (6)

45. Ensiform leaves are shaped like these weapons (6)

46. Execution carried out by drowning (6)

47. Norwegian Nobel Prize-winning author (1882-1949) (6)

DOWN

1. A parting statement wishing someone a prosperous journey (8) 2. Genus of plants including ginger (8) 3. A medicinal substance derived from plants and mentioned in the Bible (4, 2, 6) 5. Moist and damp like rhubarb! (6) 6. Agrostemma githago (10)

7. A large bag for potatoes (4) 9. Converted forest to arable use (8) 10. Resembling the pod of certain leguminous plants (12) 11. Someone who sells fruit and veg from a handcart (12) 12. The stinging nettle family (10) 15. A member of an ancient Jewish sect (6) 20. Many-handed, like a fabled giant (8) 21. Presented food to someone (6, 2)

24. Name give to Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri (6, 6)

25. A certain baked vegetable in its own skin (6, 6)

26. Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar? (5, 4, 3)

28. More than one woody nightshade? (10)

30. A position of power, strength or success (10)

33. It provides the strong flavour in thyme (6)

34. Describing flower that has brightly coloured parts (8)

35. An urn-shaped organ of a plant (8)

36. Cordial made from the kernels of apricots (8)

39. Any parasitic arachnid such as mites and ticks (6)

42. Biblical garden (4)

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Telephone: 0800 046 7443 sales@chrysanthemumsdirect.co.uk

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CPRE, the countryside charity works to promote, enhance and protect the countryside so it can thrive for the benefit of everybody.

Income from gifts in wills is vital for CPRE to continue campaigning to ensure the countryside is at the heart of the government’s priorities, so that people and wildlife can thrive. For more information, contact legacyinfo@cpre.org.uk

PRE-CHRISTMAS PLANTING

IS

THE IDEAL TIMING

It isn’t always true but in recent years, late November and early December has become the perfect time to plant trees, shrubs and hedges.

Frost before Christmas is often a rarity, and if the soil isn’t waterlogged you can get things in the ground. Once they are planted frost isn’t an issue.

Bare root trees and shrubs are now by far the most popular amongst growers. Professionals prefer them and while they may look less attractive at first, they are quicker to establish once they are planted and less vulnerable to disease and pests. There is also a much wider selection of bare root trees available too with so many varieties of fruit,

WILLOW - GREAT STATEMENT SHRUBS AND ADDED WINTER INTEREST

Really Useful Plants in Starcross in Devon, grow 30 varieties of willow for ornamental and wildlife value, living structures, basketry, and craft. Colourful, ornamental willows make great statement shrubs and wonderful winter interest in gardens. From greens and yellows to bright reds and purples, orange even curly, there are so many attractive variations which can be used for floristry, craft, and basketry.

Robust varieties are excellent for creating willow structures in gardens or community spaces. Vigorous and thicker growing willows make effective windbreaks and hedges.

Willows are beneficial for wildlife with early spring catkins a source of food for pollinators. They also improve soils, can be used as a rooting hormone, dye plant, and has medicinal properties!

Willows can be planted as cuttings/rods in the winter making growing willows very simple. Willow planting advice offered and commissions for sculptures and workshops available.

For willow sales, commissions & willow workshops. reallyusefulplants@outlook.com www.reallyusefulplants.co.uk

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ornamental trees and shrubs to choose from.

Bare root trees can only be planted in their dormant period, and they don’t tend to suffer from shock when they are planted and of course the wetter weather in preChristmas conditions means that when you do plant your tree, you won’t have to worry about it getting enough water. Bare root trees can only be planted in their dormant period, between autumn and spring when they’re freshly lifted. Because bare root trees are dormant, they don’t tend

to suffer from shock when they’re replanted and of course the wetter weather in these months means that when you do plant your tree, you won’t have to worry about it getting enough water! If you still can’t plant your tree after a week, stand the roots in a bucket of water overnight so that they don’t dry out. You can also temporarily plant it in a large bucket of compost or soil and keep it in a sheltered place outdoors until it can be moved to its final position.

Now’s the time to think about ordering bare root fruit trees

Adam’s Apples nursery in East Devon grow the largest range of fruit trees in the west country. This includes over 200 apple varieties, plums, gage, pears, cherries, damson, quince and medlar, all on a range of root stocks to suit your needs. The business also sells bare rooted soft fruit plants. They are passionate and award-winning cider makers too and grow and sell some of the best traditional cider apple trees from Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Herefordshire.

All the trees and bushes are sold bare rooted, available from late autumn through to spring. Bare rooted trees are cheaper to purchase and easier to transport than potted trees and are the quickest way for trees to establish and thrive.

They offer advice and recommendations for your garden, small holding, farm or community orchard. They can deliver trees throughout the UK.

Adam’s Apples Nursery, Dulford, Cullompton EX15 2GA Tel: 07521 648502 sales@adamsappletrees.co.uk www.adamsappletrees.co.uk

WALCOT NURSERY - ORGANIC BARE ROOTED TREES OF GREAT QUALITY

Walcot Organic Nursery, located in the Vale of Evesham, are looking forward to supplying customers with all sorts of fruit trees over the winter months. Grown in the soil they are available bare rooted when dormant from late November until late March – natures time for tree planting. Grown organically, you will not be able to find the fruit from many of the varieties in the shops. It is only by growing these fruits that you can enjoy them. Choose from a wide selection of Apples, Pears, Quinces. Plums, Damsons and more. Orders may be made via the website www.walcotnursery.co.uk, over the phone 01905 841587 or in person. The website provides much advice on choosing and growing fruit trees. A paper catalogue is also available.

Walcot Organic Nursery Ltd, Walcot Lane, Drakes Broughton, Pershore, Worcs WR10 2AL

Sales, Commissions and Workshops

Starcross Devon www.reallyusefulplants.co.uk

GREAT GARDENING BOOKS for Christmas

Here’s a selection of the new books just out in time for Christmas - the perfect gift to settle down with on a winter’s day, when it’s just too cold to get out into the garden

Trees in Winter

by Richard Shimell

Published by Little, Brown 145pp, RRP £25

The silhouettes made by trees are particularly beautiful during the long winter months. Printmaker Richard Shimell, a former editor of Country Gardener, has captured their intricate beauty in this very personal book of of more than 40 prints, but more than that, he shares the personal journey that led to him becoming an artist and reflects on on the way he connects with the world around him, finding his creativity through his walks in all weathers, much of it around Dartmoor.

Outside In: A Year of Growing and Displaying

by Sean A. Pritchard

Published by Mitchell Beazley, 224pp, RRP £30

Sean Pritchard is a master-of-all-trades, having grown the plants he writes about, as well as writing and providing the photography for this book, his first, a celebration of the cottage-garden cutting-patch where he grows an entire year of cut flowers to have enough material to dress the rooms of his Somerset cottage every day of the year. He mixes cultivated and wild flowers for every season, sharing sowing, growing and styling advice, from the cheery joy of early spring daffodils to the rich colour of late summer dahlias.

A Flower Garden for Pollinators

by Rachel de Thame

Published by Quercus 208pp, RRP £25

Pollinating bee and butterfly species have declined dramatically in the past decades, a threat to the very survival of some crops. Rachel de Thame shows how vital these invertebrates are, urging us to plant flowers that will provide abundant nectar and pollenrich forage as well as larval food. Let go of neatness, abandon chemicals and rethink goals and ‘ownership’ in your garden, she advocates, instead making it full of a diversity of flowers to feed pollinator friends. She features her preferred flowers and the insects they’ll nourish, season by season, with exquisite insect illustrations by Rachel’s daughter and photos by Jonathan Buckley,

Compost: Transform Waste Into New Life

by Charles Dowding

Published by DK, 144pp, RRP £14.99

Here’s everything you need to know about composting, turning garden and household waste into valuable mulch. Charles Dowding is an expert with more than 40 years worth of compost-making; he tells us how to make it, what to add, how to ripen it and when to add it to the garden beds. He goes into the myths and common mistakes in a handy pocket-guide that has all the facts to help make you an expert as well.

Bob

the Robin: a love letter to Britain’s favourite bird by Tony

Putman

Published by Gaia, 243pp, RRP £16.99

The robin - the small bird we love to see on dull winter days when its song is a joy to hear, and a favourite image on Christmas cards, so this is the perfect book for this time of year. Gardener and wildlife photographer Tony Putman tells of his friendship with one robin, and of the effect it had on him and a huge band of followers when he shared his photos on social media. He named the robin Bob, and found Bob lifted his spirits when life was difficult and especially during family illness.

There had been other robins observed by Tony but Bob became very special. The details of Bob’s different poses shown in the hundreds of photographs weren’t lost on the followers on Instagram, or when Bob’s photos were featured on regional television. As in all stories about animals, there is tremendous poignancy but it clearly shows how much we can gain from close contact with the natural world.

Gardeners’ World - The Flower Book: a bloom for every day of the year

Compiled by Gardeners’ World Magazine

Published by BBC books, Penguin Random House, 256pp, RRP £22

A concise guide pairing each day of the year with a specific flower, chosen to match the time of the year it is in bloom, compiled by the team behind the BBC’s Gardeners’ World Magazine. Not a large glossy book, and the print is small, but that allows the pages to be full of information illustrated with botanical paintings and photographs; the first flower shown, on 1st January is the cheerful yellow winter aconite. Find out how plants were named and used, combined with useful advice on planting and growing each flower, about ideal soil types, how much sun is needed (or not), the plant’s height and spread.

Hortobiography by Carol Klein

Published by Witness Books, 336pp, RRP £22

In the list of new books out in time for Christmas, here’s another book connected to BBC’s Gardeners’ World - a gritty, tell-all memoir from one of the programme’s long standing presenters. Here Carol Klein chronicles her 1950s urban childhood in Manchester through an art-teaching career, motherhood, nursery ownership in Devon, RHS Gold medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show and then onto our tv screens as one of Britain’s most expert plantswomen. Readers can discover how she fought to break the ‘grass ceiling’ and hear tales of plants, partners and among it all, much positivity.

Houseplants on the move!

THERE’S AN INCREASING ATTRACTION TO HOUSEPLANTS WHICH SEEM TO HAVE A SECRET OF THEIR OWN AND TEND TO MOVE WHEN NIGHT FALLS!

As the nights stretch longer, there’s an unmistakable magic in the air.

There’s such a wonderful wide selection of houseplants which can make a big impact during the colder, darker days. It’s not all sunshine and warmth. Most of us love tending houseplants all year long but some of the eeriest occurrences might be happening right under our noses. That’s right, beyond their leafy green exteriors, some plants have a secret: they move, almost as if they’re coming alive when the sun goes down.

There is a world of ‘moving houseplants which blur the line between the natural and the supernatural and become both fascinating and appealing when it comes to this handful of plants which do seem to possess something different. Here’s just some of the strange things they get up to when night comes.

1. Prayer Plant

Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura) isn’t just named for its angelic appearance. This curious houseplant has an unsettling habit of raising its leaves skyward at night, almost like hands clasped in prayer—or perhaps more ominously, as if reaching for the unseen. The night movements allow the plant to ‘sleep,’ conserving energy and water until dawn breaks. With its beautiful leaf patterns and mystical movements, the Prayer Plant adds an air of mystery as its leaves slowly rise and fall with the rhythms of the night.

2. Oxalis triangularis

Also known as the Purple Shamrock, this dramatic plant has leaves that fold down like a bat’s wings at dusk. By day, the deep purple leaves fan out, but as the sun sets, they close, as if retreating into a dark cave. Its ghostly white or pale pink flowers add an eerie touch, making it a perfect companion for Halloween nights. If you’ve ever felt like something was moving in the corner of your eye, it just might be your Oxalis triangularis

3. Calathea stromanthe ‘Triostar’

The Calathea stromanthe ‘Triostar’ is known for its enchanting pink, cream, and green leaves that seem to blush in the moonlight. As night falls, this plant performs a slow-motion dance, lifting its leaves toward the sky as if it’s basking in the glow of the moon. The rustling of its foliage can almost seem like whispers in the dark, giving your home a bewitching atmosphere when the lights go out.

4. Calathea orbifolia

With its wide, round leaves, the Calathea orbifolia is a showstopper even in daylight. But don’t be fooled by its serene appearance - at night, its leaves shift ever so slightly, like the slow swing of a pendulum. These movements help the plant adapt to changing humidity levels, almost as if it’s breathing. The gentle sway of the Orbifolia’s leaves creates a chillingly serene atmosphere, as if the air itself is alive with unseen spirits.

5. Leopard Plant

The Leopard Plant (Calathea leopardina) may look tame during the day with its large, rounded leaves dotted like a leopard’s coat, but come nightfall, it takes on a life of its own. The leaves subtly shift and change orientation, like something prowling in the shadows. Its unique pattern and mysterious night-time behaviour make it a perfect choice for those who want a touch of the wild in their haunted décor.

6. Rose Painted Calathea

The Rose-Painted Calathea (Calathea roseopicta Medallion’) is a real show-off, with dark green leaves and vibrant pink patterns. As darkness falls, its leaves fold up to reveal the rich, purplish undersides, adding to its ghostly allure. It’s almost as if the plant is putting on a cloak of shadows, ready to join in the night’s mysterious happenings.

7. Peacock Plant

The Peacock Plant (Calathea makoyana) is named for its striking, feather-like patterns. During the day, the leaves spread out in a proud display, but at night, they gently fold upward, like a bird tucking its feathers before sleep. There’s something almost otherworldly about this nightly movement, as if the plant knows when the world falls silent and takes on its own secret life. The pattern on its leaves also adds an extra touch of intrigue, like eyes watching from the darkness.

8. Calathea sanderiana (Pink Pinstripe Plant)

With its dramatic dark leaves lined in delicate pink, the Calathea sanderiana is like a piece of living art by day. But when night falls, this plant’s leaves rise. It’s almost as though it’s drawn toward the dark—ready to unravel its secrets when no one’s watching.

9. Calathea rufibarba (Velvet Calathea)

The Velvet Calathea earns its name from the velvety texture of its leaves. These leaves don’t just feel soft; they seem to come alive at night, shifting their positions in a slow, rhythmic dance. The movement is subtle, but if you catch it just right, you might feel as if you’ve glimpsed something spooky. It’s a plant that invites you to run your fingers across its soft leaves.

10. Rattlesnake Plant (Calathea lancifolia)

The Rattlesnake Plant gets its name from its striking wavy leaves that mimic a serpent’s scales. As the night creeps in, the leaves seem to twitch and curl as though ready to strike. It’s the kind of plant that adds a touch of danger to your indoor jungle, its dark green patterns looking almost like a coiled snake in the shadows. The Rattlesnake Plant’s uncanny resemblance to its namesake makes it a spinetingling addition.

Why orchids make a great CHRISTMAS GIFT

Orchids have long been considered as symbols of purity, prosperity and good health but were also once thought to bring happiness and good luck to those who grew them.

Very often choosing a Christmas gift can be challenging. And if you are trying to keep a gardening or floral theme linked in to the present then you need to be even more careful. Orchids may be the answer. they are available in so many different colours and forms make a great gift, especially for those who love to make a statement.

No matter what colour you choose, they pack a lot of punch, especially when it comes to versatility.

A bouquet of fresh cut flowers can be a lovely present, but they usually die off within a week or so after purchase. However, orchids will bloom for months after purchase and can continue to flourish with adequate care for years. After the blooming phase, orchids enter a ‘rest’ phase where they require proper care to keep them healthy, ready to re-bloom over and over again!

A smaller orchid can liven up a small space, like a desk, or you can group several mini orchids of similar colours to fill a much larger space. You can also choose a premium

or watercolour orchid to really make a statement.

Unlike cut flowers that quickly perish, the gift of an orchid will last a long time. Giving friends or loved one’s orchids is also a great way to introduce them to the beauty of the orchid world, even if they don’t have green fingers Your gift could easily inspire someone to become an orchid enthusiast!

When you give a gift to a loved one, you want it to have meaning. Orchids symbolize good health, thoughtfulness and love. They are beautiful in any space and a great plant for those who want something that lasts longer than a cut flower. You can give an orchid to family and friends, whether you bring it in person to a holiday dinner or have one sent directly to them by ordering on our website.

Orchids are among the most popular presents because they have long been considered as symbols of purity, prosperity and good health but were also once thought to bring happiness and good luck to those who grew them.

BURNHAM NURSERIES LEADING ORCHID SPECIALIST

For a truly exotic experience, Burnham Nurseries, just outside Newton Abbot, is the place to go as they are leading specialist orchid growers. This awardwinning nursery has specialised in these tropical plants for 75 years and has been run by three generations of the same family.

Orchids have become even more popular in recent years as a great houseplant to decorate your home and they are easier to grow than you might think.

The orchid family is huge with over 150,000 species and hybrids so many can need more specific care, but there are also lots of simple to grow varieties that are perfect for the home. The nursery with its shop, café and greenhouses to browse around, is a little gem in the Devon countryside and open all year round.

Expert advice on what to purchase is always on hand.

‘Orchid Paradise’ at Burnham Nurseries is open Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm plus one weekend each month. Call 01626 352233 or check online at www.orchids.uk.comfor the next dates, lots of orchid info plus online ordering. Burnham Nurseries Ltd, Forches Cross, Newton Abbot TQ12 6PZ

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Throughout the growing season we have been receiving gardening tips and suggestions from readers which we haven’t had the room to use. Now it’s a more reflective time in the garden we’ve selected the best of them to share.

When you are arranging flowers, always trim off the leaves that will fall below the water level in the vase. Keeping the leaves on will make the water turn green and smell bad. And don’t buy flowers at the start of the week because they are likely to have been there since the weekend and won’t last as long.

I have found my collection of houseplants love to drink leftovers whether it’s cold tea, wine or beer. As with people, they will need a touch of water to wash it down.

We have a tried and test method for dealing with unsightly molehills. Plant glass bottles without the lids on into the molehills with say a couple of inches of the bottle showing so that the noise of the wind travels through their tunnels encouraging them to move to a more peaceful location.

Add a small amount of salt to a vase of tulips as this slows the opening of the flower heads.

Ladybirds consume around a hundred aphids a day. Attract these useful insects by hanging bundles of cow parsley in sheltered spots around the garden.

If you want to root a plant or cutting in water, add an aspirin or two to the container. Buy a cheap bottle of aspirin and grind it up before you add it to the water. This will aid in water absorption and will help the cutting to start roots.

Grow cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets—they will grow well there and will be easy to pick. Be sure that you keep them well-watered. Keep them picked off, and they will keep producing.

Plants like rhubarb and asparagus will come back year after year. All you must do is fertilise and keep the weeds out. I add heavy mulch once they are up and growing, and this keeps the weeds out. Rhubarb pie is so delicious. I like it mixed with just-picked strawberries.

Take all the peelings and vegetable scraps from your kitchen, run them through your food processor, and then sprinkle on your soil to feed your growing plants. Peppers especially love this.

When you boil or steam vegetables, don't throw the water away. After it's cool, use it to water the plants you are growing in containers. You'll be surprised how plants respond to this type of water.

Never add mulch to plants you're going to winter over until after the first frost has occurred. If you add it sooner, you may be providing insects with warmth and shelter from the cold.

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Most plants need one to two inches of water a week. Buy a rain gauge so you can see how much natural moisture they are getting. If your soil feels moist to the touch, it's okay, but if you have dry, powdery soil, you need to water.

Thank you to all the readers of Country Gardener who have sent their gardening tips and ideas. If you have any thoughts, ideas or views you would like to share with us email us at editorial@countrygardener.co.uk

HOW TO COPE WITH honey fungus

Honey fungus infection can be deadly for plants. New research suggests it is present in four out of ten gardens in the UK. If you discover it in your garden there are several options you can use to control the disease and prevent future infections from emerging.

The only way to control the deadly honey fungus is through garden hygiene.

Many gardeners will experience the infection this winter which can rapidly appear around dead stumps or diseased shrubs.

It is on the increase and has been for some time - spreading in any single garden on boots and wellingtons. There are different species of honey fungus which cannot be distinguished by the mushrooms they produce, but which differ in how deadly they are to plants.

It is safe to assume that an aggressive species is present when honey fungus has killed off otherwise healthy plants, and action needs to be taken to prevent spread of the fungus.

Noting the positions of affected plants (past and present) will also be useful in working out which area of soil is likely to contain the fungus and require treatment. If an already weakened plant succumbs to honey fungus but no others seem affected, infection may have been caused by a less aggressive species. In such cases it may not be worthwhile to go to great lengths to eradicate the fungus from the garden, but instead it may be enough to maintain good plant health to prevent further plant deaths. Remove sources of infection. Remove as much of the infected root system, stem/ trunk material and associated soil as possible. Do not compost this but dispose of it by landfill or burning. If trees are affected, cutting them down to stumps will not remove the source of infection as the fungus can gain dead nutrients from dead wood and roots for many years.

Consider surrounding plants. In a hedge, remove one healthy plant to either side of the infected area as well. Plants showing no signs of infection but whose roots would be in contact with those of visibly infected plants are likely to have infected roots. Install a plastic sheet barrier. Encircle the affected area with a vertical barrier made from an impermeable membrane, e.g. pond liner, to a depth of 18 inches which extends to two centimetres above the soil surface. This will prevent any fungal fragments from growing into other areas of the garden.

Leave the bed fallow. A period of one year without a food source will cause any remaining fungus to die off. Cultivating the soil regularly throughout this period will cut any growing fungus off from food sources and reduce its chances of survival. Temporarily replant with grass. Replanting with turf could be considered as an alternative to a fallow period. These plants are expected to be less likely to support survival of the fungus, but this approach is not as risk-free as leaving the bed fallow.

What happens next?

Instead of replanting with trees or shrubs, consider using shorter-lived plants. Annual plants are rarely infected with honey fungus. Specific plants to avoid are strawberry and potato which are very susceptible to honey fungus. There are very few records of honey fungus affecting any member of the grass family. This suggests that ornamental grasses could be a good option for growing in areas of a garden where honey fungus is present,

Diary events from

The Time Off service in Country Gardener is hugely popular amongst gardening clubs and associations. Throughout the year it aims to help gardening clubs to be able to share details and contacts for events, outings and meetings. The service will start up again early next year when we return to publishing so please take advantage of this free service by sending your information to timeoff@countrygardener.co.uk

November

27TH

Warsash Horticultural Society ‘MOTTISFONT’S ROSE GARDEN PARADISE’ - MICHAEL HARVEY Details on 01489 573755

Uplyme & Lyme Regis Horticultural Society ‘THE ANSWER LIES IN THE SOIL’ - DAVID USHER www.ulrhs.wordpress.com

December

2ND

Shaston Gardening Association MONTHLY MEETING www.shastongardeningassociation. weebly.com

Highcliffe Horticultural Society ‘GARDENS WORTH A JOURNEY’ - MIKE WEBBER Details on 07769 748187

Ferndown Horticultural Association ‘MERTON’S DREAM GARDEN - THE STORY OF THE RUSSELL COTES MUSEUM’ - PHIL BROOKFIELD Details on 07790089889 3RD

Wimborne Gardening Club MONTHLY MEETING Details on 01202 888703 9TH

West Moors Horticultural Society ‘RESTORATION OF THE GARDENS OF ATHELHAMPTON HOUSE’ - OWEN DAVIES Details on 01202 871536 12TH

Petersfield Gardeners’ Club MONTHLY MEETING www.petersfieldgardenersclub.com

13TH

Blackmore Vale Bonsai Group MONTHLY MEETING Details on 07837 781744 14TH

Amberley Gardening Club CHRISTMAS SOCIAL email: christo.p.bailey@outlook.com 18TH

Milford Gardeners’ Club CHRISTMAS SOCIAL www.milfordgardenersclub.co.uk

January

6TH

Shaston Gardening Association MONTHLY MEETING www.shastongardeningassociation. weebly.com

Wimborne Gardening Club MONTHLY MEETING Details on 01202 888703

9TH

Busy Bees Gardening Club ‘LISBON, PORTO & THE DOURO’ - MIKE WEBBER Details on 07434 721811

Petersfield Gardeners’ Club MONTHLY MEETING www.petersfieldgardenersclub.com

10TH

Blackmore Vale Bonsai Group MONTHLY MEETING Details on 07837 781744

21ST

Parkstone Gardening Society ‘THE HISTORY OF STEWARTS’ - MARTIN STEWART 30TH - 2ND FEB

10 Ryan Close, Ferndown, BH22 9TP OPEN SNOWDROP GARDEN In aid of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance 11am - 3pm

February

3RD

Shaston Gardening Association MONTHLY MEETING www.shastongardeningassociation. weebly.com

Wimborne Gardening Club MONTHLY MEETING Details on 01202 888703

6TH - 9TH

10 Ryan Close, Ferndown, BH22 9TP OPEN SNOWDROP GARDEN In aid of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance 11am - 3pm

9TH

Busy Bees Gardening Club ‘MISSING PERSONS’ - GUY NICHOLAS Details on 07434 721811

13TH

Petersfield Gardeners’ Club MONTHLY MEETING www.petersfieldgardenersclub.com 14TH

Blackmore Vale Bonsai Group MONTHLY MEETING Details on 07837 781744

18TH

Parkstone Gardening Society ‘DORSET GINGER IN POOLE’ 19TH

The Valley Gardening Club SOCIAL EVENING

Email: valleygardening@gmail.com

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ACCOMMODATION WITH BEAUTIFUL GARDENS

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CARDS & GIFTS

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GARDEN PLANTS/ACCESSORIES

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THE DRAMA QUEEN OF THE GARDEN!

Not only prized for their edible yields, globe artichokes are also attractive, ornamental plants, that can add stature and drama to a vegetable plot or to another part of a garden.

Growing a globe artichoke plant (Cynara scolymus) may be a slow process but it is one of the most rewarding things you can tend for in your garden.

It’s a large hardy perennial which gives a high-profile impact in the garden as well as a delicious harvest of colossal, edible flowers. As one of the oldest recorded foods in history, globe artichokes have been a stable addition to Mediterranean diets for centuries.

Although they are both called artichokes, Jerusalem and globe artichokes are completely different – both in how they grow and how they’re used in the kitchen. But both are perennial plants, easy to grow – and delicious to eat. In order to grow globe artichokes successfully, you first need to know what conditions they need. To thrive, they will need:

• Full sun.

• A sheltered location with as much warmth over summer as possible.

• Plenty of space – clumps can grow 90cm across over time.

• Reasonably fertile, free-draining soil.

SOWING SEEDS

Sow artichoke seeds indoors in late winter or early spring, or direct in spring once the soil has warmed where you live. Sowing indoors is generally the better option because direct sown seeds are vulnerable to pests and may struggle to germinate when temperatures are too low.

If you sow globe artichokes inside, your plants are also more likely to become properly established and make it through the following winter unscathed.

Indoors, sow individual seeds into small pots or other containers, or soil blocks, around 1cm deep. If you choose to direct sow, place a couple of seeds at stations approximately 25-30cm apart, then thin these out to leave just the strongest seedling where necessary.

PLANTING

If you have grown globe artichokes from seed, the young plants can be moved to their final growing positions after the last frost date in your area, once they are around 30cm tall and have at least five true leaves.

These, small plug plants, and larger container grown plants you have purchased should all be given plenty of space – as a rule, they should be around 90cm apart to give them space to grow.

If you have purchased small plug plants or very young potted plants, these are best kept in the container in which they came until they have around five leaves and a sturdy root system.

Larger plants can be planted out at any time, but are also best planted out in the spring or early summer when the weather is not too warm and dry.

WATERING

Make sure you water artichokes well until they become established, especially during their first growing season. Before they develop strong and healthy root systems, they will not be as drought tolerant as they are once established.

Even once established, however, globe artichokes will need some water, and watering is especially important during the period when the flower buds start to form. If you do not water enough, flower buds will be smaller, and fewer in number.

FEEDING

Primarily, globe artichokes should get the nutrients they need from the soil as long as this is reasonably fertile, and from the organic mulch you apply around your plants. You should apply a mulch of homemade compost, wellrotted manure or other organic matter around your plants upon planting and replenish this every spring.

It can also be a good idea to feed your globe artichokes in the spring with a potassium rich organic fertiliser, as this can improve flower bud yields.

REMOVING FLOWERS

Though those impatient to taste their own homegrown artichokes may be disappointed by this, it is best to remove any flower stalks that begin to form in the first year after planting.

Though of course this means that you will not be able to harvest that first year, it will usually lead to better harvests over subsequent years, since it gives the plants a chance to focus on strong root establishment so they are healthier plants.

Edible but also attractive, ornamental plants

You can begin harvesting the buds from the second summer after sowing/ planting.

PRUNING

Once the harvesting period comes to an end, you can cut all the old flower stalks down to the base. You can then prune off all the old foliage at the base in the late autumn. This foliage should not be taken away but rather laid over the crown of the plant in order to protect it from frost. It is also a good idea to add a layer of compost, straw, dried leaves or leaf mould over this for additional insulation. Plants are more vulnerable in their first winter after planting, and become hardier once they are fully established. But even fully established plants will need protection, especially in colder regions and when not growing in a polytunnel.

Globe artichoke versus Jerusalem artichoke

The globe artichoke is a variety of thistle, a large, architectural perennial that looks great when grown in flower beds and borders. The edible parts are the fleshy lower portions of the bracts of the unopened flower buds and their base, known as the ‘heart’. Once the flower buds open, the flowers look beautiful and very attractive, but are inedible. The plants have very ornamental, large, silvery-green/glaucous-green leaves.

The Jerusalem artichoke is a species of sunflower, grown for its edible tubers. These are a real winter treat, although an acquired taste for some. You can roast them, make them into chips and fry them, and they make a hearty soup. They are easy to grow, even in poor soils. In the summer, they produce lots of reasonably small sunflower-like flowers. As the plants grow tall (up to 3m/10ft), they can be used as a living screen.

‘The best pruning is no pruning at all’

Mark Hinsley delves into the art of tree pruning and comes up with some valuable and surprising advice

The trees are now dormant and the thoughts of many tree owners (and their neighbours!) turn to pruning.

As I have said before, the best pruning for most trees is no pruning at all. However, if you must, you want to do the least possible damage to your tree in the process.

People did not invent tree pruning. Trees invented tree pruning, back when we were little more than the glint in the eye of a slowly evolving amoeba.

Look at a sapling tree, look at the branches of a young tree – now look at a fully grown tree. Where have all those branches which were on the young tree gone? Look at a woodland tree – no branches to 20ft – where have the lower branches gone? Answer – pruned off by the tree with the help of its fungal friends. And the reason they were pruned off? They had become inefficient.

Fungi are latent throughout the whole tree, bobbing around in the sap stream living on the sugars the tree creates through photosynthesis. As long as the fungus gets its sugar it does nothing. However, if sugar production falls too low, perhaps because the branch is now growing in the shade of other branches, the hungry fungus changes tactics and kills and ‘eats’ the branch. In doing so, the fungus does the tree a favour by removing a poorly performing branch which was costing the tree more in stored energy to put leaves on it in the spring than it was getting back through photosynthesis throughout the summer.

But ‘surely’ you cry, “the rot will now spread from the branch into the trunk and make the tree hollow!” No it will not – the tree has that covered. The rot will not leave the wood which was part of

Editorial Publisher & Editor: Alan Lewis alan@countrygardener.co.uk Tel: 01823 431767

Time Off Kate Lewis timeoff@countrygardener.co.uk

the original branch. It will not transfer from branch wood to trunk wood. So, that is our pruning guide courtesy of the tree. If you are going to remove a branch, make sure the rot which will result from your activity will only be in the remnant of the branch. So how do we do that?

Your branch originated as a twig on a twig. As your branch grew out sideways the trunk increased in girth around it, each year enveloping the branch within its structure, but always remaining partly separate. Think of the branch as a pointed stake stuck in the tree which penetrates almost to the centre. To successfully remove your branch, you need to do so without damaging any of the enveloping trunk wood.

You need to be aware that the bulging bit of trunk around the base of the branch is precisely that – trunk – you do not want to cut this. You also do not want your branch to tear off when it falls taking a long strip of bark with it that rips a chunk out of the trunk as it goes. You avoid this with three cuts, an undercut, a step cut and a finishing cut. Back in the 1970s, we used to ‘flush cut’ pruning wounds in the belief that it would make a smoother face for the tree to grow callous wood across. We did not understand the difference between branch wood and trunk wood. Many examples exist of trees with large cavities inside them as a result of well meaning, but misguided, pruning techniques of the past.

As a last piece of advice, gentle reader, if you cannot cut it with a bowsaw, don’t cut it at all. These little hobby chainsaw gadgets around now are, in my opinion, dangerous.

Mark Hinsley, of Mark Hinsley Arboricultural Consultants Ltd, offering tree consultancy services. www.treeadvice.info

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We are a Dorset based company offering a friendly, professional tree consultancy service for all areas of the South.

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A FAMILY RUN NURSERY FOR THE EXPERIENCED AND NOVICE GARDENER

Large Selection of Perennials (Cottage Garden Plants),Trees, Shrubs, Herbs, Alpines and Vegetable Plants. Plus large selection of Ornamental Trees, Fruit Trees and Climbers.

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DAHLIAS

Now taking orders for young dahlia plants for spring 2025 delivery

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Pewsey

(Saturday) 1st February 2025 - 10 am to 1 pm

Bouverie Hall, Goddard Rd. Pewsey SN9 5QE

Castle Car y

(Sunday) 2nd February 2025 - 10 am to 1 pm

Our ‘Pennard Plants’ Somerset Potato Day

Caryford Community Hall, Maggs Lane, Ansford, Castle Cary, BA7 7JJ

Marshfield

(Saturday) 15th February 2025 - 10 am to 1 pm

Marshfield Community Centre, The Hayfield, Marshfield, SN14 8PG

Frome

(Sunday) 16th February 2025 - 10 am to 2 pm

Growing Frome Potato Day & Seed Swap

The Cheese & Grain, Market Yard, Justice Lane, Frome, BA11 1BE

Attended by Pennard Plants with wide range of Products , Heritage Seeds, Fruit plants & Potatoes. Also Fantastic Food, Workshops, Talks etc.

Seedy Saturday Timsbury

(Saturday) 8th March 2025 - 10 am to 2 pm

Conygre Hall, North Road, Timsbury BA2 0JQ