A LOOK AT NEWS, EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS IN YOUR AREA
“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
‘Illuminate’ ready to light up Hestercombe
The popular gardens at Hestercombe just outside Taunton again host an ‘Illuminate’ event over Christmas which will transport visitors on a magical journey of colour, light and sound throughout the historic gardens.
The natural features and views of the Landscape Garden come to life at night with spotlight lit trees and coloured paths drawing you up towards the Great Cascade, down past fountains in the Pear Pond below the Formal Garden before finishing with a display in front of Hestercombe House.
‘Illuminate’ is showing for 29 nights between 21st November and 30th December. Limited capacity slots are available at 15-minute intervals from 4:30pm to 8pm (last entry). Off peak is from Thursday 21st November to Sunday 24th November 2024 and Thursday, 28th November.
Adults £17, child £8.50. Discounts for carers. Full ticket information at www.hestercombe.com Hestercombe House and Gardens, Taunton TA2 8LG
Twelve Days of Christmas throughout popular Bath gardens
Prior Park Landscape Gardens in Bath are staging a unique pre-Christmas event offering visitors the chance to explore the garden as the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ come to life. With magical interpretations, this family-favourite carol will put everyone in a festive mood. All you need do is brush up on your lyrics. The Palladian bridge will be dressed for the occasion, and the Tea Cabin stocked with festive treats. ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ trail dates: 10am to 3pm: weekends only 30th November to 15th December but every day from 21st December to 5th January (closed December 24 and 25).
Prior Park Landscape Garden, Bath BA2 5AH
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 Somerset.
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
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
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 and 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 award-winning 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 seedsowing 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.
Said Toby, “As we approach our eleventh festival at Powderham Castle, the value of our gardens, whether it be for wellbeing, local produce, wildlife or learning, has never been more significant. That’s why, in a first for any garden show, we’re going ‘back to school’ with the introduction of a hands-on ‘learning zone’ where festival-goers can take their gardening and creativity to another level. With limited spaces, we know they’ll be popular, so book early!”
Book tickets at www.tobygardenfest.co.uk
Toby Buckland: “Learning zone a great innovation for the festival”
Christmas lights for Hestercombe
Bird watch 2025 returns in a few weeks
Two gardens get ready for special NGS openings
Two special Somerset gardens are opening their gates for the National Garden Scheme in February.
ELWORTHY COTTAGE, twelve miles northwest of Taunton at Elworthy village TA4 3PX is a one-acre plantsman’s garden in a tranquil setting with pulmonarias, hellebores and more than 350 varieties of snowdrops. that opens for the NGS on Wednesday 5th, Friday 14th, and Tuesday 25th February, 11am to 4.30pm each day. There are island beds, scented plants, unusual perennials, ornamental trees and shrubs to provide year-round interest and all planted to encourage birds, bees and butterflies with wildflower areas and a developing wildflower meadow, decorative vegetable garden, and living willow screen. Seats for visitors to enjoy views of the surrounding countryside. The garden is attached to a plant nursery, open at the same time.
Admission: £5, child free. Home-made teas, plants for sale, dogs welcome, and coaches, but not suitable for wheelchairs. Also open for the NGS on other dates through the season, details on the NGS website and on the Elworthy Cottage website. The garden is also open for the NGS by arrangement with the owners, from February to September. Visit the NGS website for more details and to book, www.ngs.org.uk and follow the links. Mike & Jenny Spiller Tel: 01984 656427 Email: mike@elworthy-cottage.co.uk www.elworthy-cottage.co.uk
EAST LAMBROOK MANOR, Silver Street, East Lambrook TA13 5HH the quintessential English cottage garden created by 20th century gardening legend Margery Fish with its noted collections of snowdrops, hellebores and many other seasonal plants, opens for the NGS on Friday 14th February, from 10am until 5pm. The specialist Margery Fish Plant Nursery is open next door.
Admission: £7, children free. Homemade teas with cake, dogs welcome, plants for sale, coaches welcome, and partial wheelchair access.
Also open for the NGS on Saturdays 26th April and 17th May. For other opening times and information, phone, email or visit the garden website and for more information go to page 12. Tel: 01460 240328. Email: enquiries@eastlambrook.com www.eastlambrook.com
National Trust warms up for a busy Christmas build up
Throughout Somerset, National Trust properties are ready to be full of warmth, magic and sparkle for the festive season. There’s lots on offer, from craft workshops and family trails to winter lights.
CHRISTMAS WREATH-MAKING WORKSHOP AT DYRHAM PARK
Make your own Christmas willow wreath to take home using foliage gathered from across the 270-acre site. The sessions, held in the historic stables, will be led by gardener and wreath workshop expert Merryn. Tickets include a hot drink, mince pie, and all materials. Suitable for beginners, no experience required. £55. Booking essential 0344 249 1895, or via the website. 2nd December 10.30am to 1pm and 1.30 to 4pm. 4th December, 10.30am to 1pm. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/bath-bristol/dyrham-park
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING IN THE LACOCK MANGER BARN
Enjoy some festive retail therapy in a beautiful, historic setting. The High Street Shop is hosting a Christmas pop-up shop in the village’s Manger Barn. Not usually open to the public, this historic space will be the setting where you’ll be able to buy quality, gifts and local artisan crafts.
SCHOOL GARDENING CLUB ACCEPT TOP AWARD
The rich outdoor learning environment and gardens at Westfield Primary School in Bath have been recognised by Bath in Bloom as the champion school for gardening. Pupils and staff celebrated the achievement when Karen Walker, Chair of Bath and North East Somerset Council and an ex-pupil of Westfield School, and two other judges presented the school with the trophy.
Pupils from the school’s popular garden club, took the guests on a guided tour of Westfield’s amazing outdoor spaces which include a wildlife pond, forest school area, flower beds and a polytunnel. The children were also proud to show the latest addition to the school grounds, the new sensory garden. Over the past six months, staff and pupils have converted an underused courtyard into a beautiful, calming garden which provides a safe and peaceful environment for many children to learn in.
Specialist Plant Fairs increase 2025 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 various 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.
You can find details about all the events at www.plantfairs.co.uk, where you can also sign up for regular newsletters.
Free. Booking not necessary. Thursday to Sunday from 15th November to 8th December. 10.30am to 4pm. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/lacock
CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP AT NEWARK PARK
Join a festive workshop, suitable for all abilities, where you’ll create a beautiful wreath to showcase this Christmas. All materials and hot drinks and festive nibbles are included. £50. Booking essential 0344 249 1895 or via the website. 5th and 6th December, 10am to 12 noon and 1pm to 3pm. 12th December, 10am to 12noon. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/gloucestershire-cotswolds/newark-park
CHRISTMAS AT STOURHEAD
The after-dark illuminated trail returns. Created by award-winning, internationally acclaimed light trail producers, Christmas at Stourhead has everything for an unforgettable time with friends and family, including a magical glimpse of Father Christmas along the way.
From £15 per adult and from £10 per child. Booking essential via the website or call 01747 841152. 29th November to 1st December, 5th to 8th December, 11th December to 1st January (closed 24th and 25th Dec). 4.30 to 10pm. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/stourhead https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/bath-bristol/christmas
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.
Elworthy Cottage
East Lambrook Manor
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
Pat thrives at Beauchamp House Country House Care
A personal view of how one resident found happiness and contentment in care home life.
One care home resident, Pat, has spoken about life at Beauchamp House Country House Care after struggling to cope at home.
Pat’s daughter, Penny, who lives in Somerset, saw that her mum was lonely living by herself in Watford in Hertfordshire and gently encouraged Pat to consider moving closer to her.
Penny visited a number of care homes in the Taunton area and chose Beauchamp House, based on Village Road in Hatch Beauchamp, due to its countryside location and friendly team, which were the two key requirements of Pat’s. From there, she moved in and said that while it took her a little time to settle in her new home, she’s gone on to thrive knowing that she has the support of the care home team.
Pat said: “I thought that it would take me a week or two to get the hang of things, but it takes longer than that because you’ve gone from living individually, as we all do in our lives, to being part of a community which I hadn’t been since I was at boarding school.
She added: “Everyone at Beauchamp House is keen to make you comfortable and ensure you’re happy. If you’ve got a problem, they will help you with it. It’s a very nice home. I can honestly say that I’m comfortably settled at the home and I’m happy.
“I take part in some of the activities and I enjoy going out on trips with the Activities team. We had a big band and barbecue event in the summer and that was lovely. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I could tell that the care home
team had worked so hard to organise it.”
Debbie Lane, home manager at Beauchamp House, said: “Pat is a joy to care for and it’s lovely to see her living happily in our care home. Our care team never underestimate what a big change it can be for many of our residents when they move in, as they get used to knowing that round-the-clock care is available for them and a helping hand is never far away, day or night.
Debbie added: “It means that the residents can focus on pursuing their own hobbies and interests, while we look after their care, which also gives their loved ones peace of mind.”
Beauchamp House Country House Care, which is part of the Care South family of care homes, provides residential, respite, and nursing care. It features a dedicated activities team who organise a daily programme of events to bring residents together to socialise and build friendships.
The grounds of the care home, set in the stunning Somerset countryside, feature wide, flat walkways and raised flower beds to make them accessible to everyone. There is a communal allotment space for the residents to grow fruit and veg, and plenty of outdoor seating areas and benches to enable residents and their families to enjoy some quiet time. Extensive work has taken place to refurbish and update the historic Grade II listed Georgian manor house to ensure that it can continue to provide high quality care and the comforts of modern living for the residents for many years to come. Care South is a leading provider of high quality residential and home care services across the south of England. The not-for-profit organisation, which is a registered charity, has care homes in Dorset, north Devon, Somerset and West Sussex, and home care offices covering east and west Dorset, and northeast Somerset and south Somerset.
Scan the QR code to find out more, hear from residents and meet the Home Manager.
Life is comfortable yet busy for Pat at Beauchamp House
Beauchamp House- historic Grade II Manor House has been extensively refurbished and updated
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
The home of quality plants, expert advice & inspiration for your garden
Located in North Somerset, just 10 miles outside Bristol
Fresh UK-grown Christmas trees available from 24th November & FREE local delivery
The Potager Café is open daily 10am-4pm serving breakfasts, lunches, delicious cakes & barista coffee
Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for updates www.cleevenursery.co.uk
138 Main Road, Cleeve BS49 4PW (located on the A370 between Bristol & Weston) 01934 832134 / info@cleevenursery.co.uk
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A key success for CPRE has been the restoration of hedgerows
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
Country Gardener
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.
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.
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
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.
Or see our website: www.colesbournegardens.org.uk
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.
Jaqui
Hurst
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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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.
Next year a record number of holidays to
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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.
Country Gardener
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.
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)
Holmes Chapel Road, Over Peover, Knutsford, Cheshire. WA16 9RA
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
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.
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.
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
Cross, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 6PZ 01626 352233 @burnhamorchids www.orchids.uk.com
Have your say...
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.
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,
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
23RD
Langport Flower Club
CHRISTMAS WREATH WORKSHOP
Email: langportflowerclub@hotmail.com 26TH
Chilcompton Gardening Club ‘A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS’ - KATHERINE KEAR Details on 07791 537429
Isle of Wedmore Gardening Club ‘TOPIARY: TALK AND DEMONSTRATION’ - JAMES CREBBIN-BAILEY www.wedmoregc.co.uk
December
3RD
Isle of Wedmore Gardening Club CHRISTMAS SUPPER & ENTERTAINMENT www.wedmoregc.co.uk
The Gardening in Retirement Club, Downend, Bristol AGM & CHRISTMAS MEAL Details on 01179 656844 4TH
Clevedon Gardener’s Club MONTHLY MEETING www.clevedongardeners.chessck.co.uk 7TH
Kingston St Mary Gardening Club WREATH MAKING Details on 01823 451583 10TH
Eastwood Gardeners’ Club ‘WILDLIFE AND LANDSCAPE SCOTLAND PART 2’ - HELEN MUGRIDGE Email: secretary.egc95@gmail.com
Frome Selwood Horticultural Society ‘A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS’ - KATHERINE KEAR Details on 07776 208531
11TH
Nailsea & District Horticultural Society ‘GROWING ORCHIDS’- HOWARD BURNETT Details on 01275 855342 12TH
East Coker Gardening Club ‘THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS’ - JENNY SHORT Details on 01297 442602 16TH
Sedgemoor Gardens Club CHRISTMAS BUFFET & QUIZ www.sedgemoorgardensclub.co.uk
18TH
Clevedon Gardener’s Club MONTHLY MEETING www.clevedongardeners.chessck.co.uk
January
8TH
Clevedon Gardener’s Club MONTHLY MEETING
www.clevedongardeners.chessck.co.uk
Kilmersdon Gardeners ‘GARDEN DISASTERS’ - NEIL ROSS www.kilmersdongardeners.org
14TH
Frome Selwood Horticultural Society ‘GARDENING FOLKLORE. THE NEXT INSTALMENT’ - GOLD CLUB
Details on 07776 208531
Sedgemoor Gardens Club ‘COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES & THEIR HORTICULTURE’ - ANDY DAYONE www.sedgemoorgardensclub.co.uk
17TH
Carhampton Gardening Club ‘NO DIG GARDENING’ - ALAN CAVILL Details on 01643 821085
Kingston St Mary Gardening Club QUIZ NIGHT Details on 01823 451583
21ST
The Gardening in Retirement Club, Downend, Bristol ‘CACTUS COUNTRY 2’ - DAVE HARTNELL Details on 01179 656844
February
5TH
Clevedon Gardener’s Club MONTHLY MEETING www.clevedongardeners.chessck.co.uk
11TH
Frome Selwood Horticultural Society AGM Details on 07776 208531
Sedgemoor Gardens Club ‘SUCCESS WITH HOUSEPLANTS’ - GOLD CLUB www.sedgemoorgardensclub.co.uk
Cosy Cottage sleeps 2-4. Please email info@bosworlas.co.uk for availability
GLORIOUS NORTH DEVON. Only 9 cosy caravans on peaceful farm. Wonderful walks in woods & meadows. Easy reach sea, moors & lovely days out. £125-395pw. Discount couples. Nice pets welcome. 01769 540366 www.snapdown.co.uk
ACCOMMODATION HOLIDAY COTTAGES
WYE VALLEY/FOREST OF DEAN.
Fully equipped single-storey cottage with two en-suite bedrooms. Wi-fi.Recently awarded Visit England 4-star GOLD. Rural retreat, shops/pubs one mile. Enquiries welcome. AS SEEN ON ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY! Tel: 01594 833259 www.cowshedcottage.co.uk
Carmarthen Bay South Wales Seafront chalet situated on estuary. Sleeps up to 6. Seaview. Well Behaved Dogs Welcome Free of Charge. Free WIFI. Open from 1st March - 31st Dec. For Brochure Tel: 01269 862191 Near Stratford-upon-Avon
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Main Road, Cannington, Bridgwater TA5 2LD 01278 653205 www.greenslades.biz
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Hardy Exotic Plant Centre
‘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.
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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
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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