Gardening

Time to take stock

Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Deben’ AGM ©RHS/Mike Winwood

With the turn of the New Year all gardeners examine optimistically for the first signs of spring, but it is also a good time to look at your garden with a critical eye and ask yourself if it can be improved for winter interest and colour.

A flower that is produced in the depths of winter is a special rarity. A single bloom at this time of the year can have the same impact on the senses as the myriads produced in summer. Winter flowering shrubs often give off a strong perfume to attract the few pollinating insects that emerge on warmer days. Cultivars of Hamamelis, Viburnum x bodnantense and Daphne are the best candidates.

A favourite at Rosemoor is Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ agm. It is a slow starter but in time, if planted in a sheltered position with free draining soil, it can develop into a large, evergreen shrub. In December and January star-shaped, pale pink waxy flowers smother the plant and its scent is intoxicating, filling the air that surrounds it.

Witch hazel (Hamamelis) produces its flowers on bare stems, with no leaves to hide or protect its blooms, and this makes the flowers look all the more fragile and delicate. The sulphur yellow of H. x intermedia ‘Pallida’ agm, or the coppery-orange of H. × intermedia ‘Robert’ AGM give a fine display. If happy where they are growing they will eventually become large, shapely deciduous shrubs that also provide fine autumn colour. Like Daphne they require a free draining, humus-rich soil.

Viburnum x bodnantense cultivars are also strongly scented. All grow into large, upright shrubs. ‘Charles Lamont’ AGM has purple shoots and clusters of pale pink flowers. The pink flowers of ‘Dawn’ AGM open from red buds and those of ‘Deben’ are white opening from pink buds.

Colourful stems are another way to introduce colour into your garden. Plant in groups if you can to make a bold statement and they will not fail to lift the spirits in the gloom of winter. Cornus and Salix produce the best stem colour; from bright red Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ AGM, to orange C. sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ and the golden stems of Salix alba ‘Golden Ness’ AGM.

These shrubs lend themselves to be under planted with snowdrops, the pure white flowers contrasting beautifully with the vivid stems. By Rosemoor Lake, we have a wonderful display of Galanthus ‘Atkinsii’ AGM planted amongst the crimson stems of Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’. G. ‘Atkinsii’ is one of the earliest snowdrops, one of the most vigorous and it is ideal for naturalising, eventually spreading to form large drifts.

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Colourful Cornus and Salix stems ©RHS/Clive Nichols Forcing Rhubarb ©RHS/Neil Hepworth

Tasks for January and February

Other winter flowerers that look stunning against the backdrop of these colourful stems include Chionodoxa, Narcissus, hellebores or heathers (Erica).

This is the best time to start planning for next year to add a bit more colour and vitality to your garden in winter.

• Prune apple and pear trees. For a guide to pruning made easy, Visit www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/apples/ pruning-made-easy

• Start forcing rhubarb. Cover the crowns in January with a layer of straw or bracken and cover with an upturned bucket or a traditional clay rhubarb pot to exclude light. Stalks will be ready to pull 2-3 weeks earlier than uncovered crowns. Crowns that have been forced for earlier harvest should be left without pulling for the rest of the season.

• Clean your greenhouse ready for spring. This greatly improves the growing environment for plants.

By removing the algae, moss and grime it lets in more light and helps control pests and diseases.

• Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering to encourage strong, healthy shoots and improve flowering. Pruning immediately after flowering allows the maximum time for development of young growth to provide the following year’s flowers before the end of summer. • In February, cut back deciduous grasses left uncut over the winter, remove dead grass from evergreen grasses.

• ‘Chit’ early potatoes before planting. Stand them up in egg boxes, rose end up i.e. the end with most small dents or eyes. Place in a light, frost-free place. The potatoes are ready to plant when the shoots are about 3cm long. With early potatoes, rub off the weakest shoots, leaving 4 per tuber.