Gardening

Creating colourful winter containers

Once your pots, window boxes and hanging baskets are empty of last summer’s fl owers, create some wonderful winter cheer by replanting for winter and early spring. Strategically placed at key viewpoints from indoors and at frequently used entrances, even just one or two containers will be a real mood-boost through the darkest months. The range of plants for pots available to buy has widened enormously compared to just a few years ago. Plants with attractively coloured foliage in a wealth of colours and shapes off er tremendous variety and many are now sold in small pots, perfect for putting together a mixed display in a container. Combine slender-leaved evergreen ornamental grasses like bronze-brown or golden Carex or airy pony-tail grass (Stipa tenuissima), with large-leaved perennial Heuchera in a wealth of colours from orange and pewter to darkest purple, along with small evergreen shrubs like Euonymus, Phormium, Rosemary and Box, or the unusual spiral-stemmed corkscrew rush (Juncus eff usus Spiralis). Add fl owers for seasonal colour: fl owering bedding plants are dominated by miniature cyclamen and violas, which do great in sheltered spots or favourable winters, but likely to take a breather from blooming in periods of harsh weather. Not so with heathers, long overlooked and well overdue for a revival. The winter-fl owering species Erica carnea and E. x darleyensis bloom for months from mid-winter onwards, while bud-blooming varieties of heath (Calluna vulgaris) are longest-lasting of all, as the coloured buds last for months from autumn. Beneath all these plants, tuck in clusters of small bulbs like crocus, miniature iris and dwarf narcissi, to welcome in the spring.

Plants make very little growth over winter so mass them close together for the best eff ects. Dormant growth also gives some great opportunities to ‘cheat’ and use cut stems in containers. Prune brightly coloured young growth from dogwoods or shrubby willows, inserting in large, deep pots of soil to look like established plants. Or, for a festive touch, use stems of silver birch, or contorted hazel or willow, sprayed silver or gold, then decorated with baubles and fairy lights.

Houseplants have rocketed in popularity in recent years and make excellent Christmas gifts too. But our homes can be hostile places for plants, so do check their preference for growing conditions, particularly the amount of light, and temperature. Consider humidity too, as the air in centrally heated rooms can be far too dry for many plants, making leaves shrivel or go brown at the edges. It really helps to boost humidity by standing plants on pebble-fi lled saucers of water (ensuring roots are above, but not in, the water), and misting frequently with a hand sprayer. Winter is the season when many plants succumb due to incorrect watering, alas. Decorative potholders are partly guilty here, as it’s easy not to notice that a plant is sitting in a puddle for days, weeks, or until it collapses and dies! When in doubt, stick a fi nger in the compost to test the moisture level, or lift the pot to feel whether it’s light and dry, or heavy and wet. To really treat your plants, use rainwater rather than tap, left for several hours fi rst to come up to room temperature. Feeding is only needed for plants in fl ower: otherwise, wait until spring. To keep plants in good health, regularly pick off faded or dead leaves and fl owers as these can be a source of disease. Keep a close eye out for signs of pests — small infestations of mealy bug, for example (which looks like tufts of white cotton wool) can be dealt with by hand, rather than having to resort to stronger measures. Do make sure any plants you buy are healthy and come from a reputable source, so you’re not unintentionally bringing problems in to your home. n

Sue Fisher

GARDEN DESIGNER & HORTICULTURAL SPECIALIST Inspirational ideas to transform your garden

Sue continues to be available for garden advisory visits and design work, operating according to Covid-19 social distancing guidelines. Gift vouchers available for garden advisory visits. Contact Sue for more details. 01822 841895 | suefi sher@talktalk.net | www.suefi shergardens.co.uk

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Seasonal gardening jobs and tips Rejuvenate overgrown deciduous shrubs using the ‘one in 3’ pruning method. Take out a third of the oldest branches close to the ground, and then repeat in future years. Sow sweet pea seeds to enjoy sturdy plants and early fl owers next year. Pre-soak before sowing in deep pots (or toilet roll inners) in warmth, then move outside and protect with a cloche or cold frame for the winter. Hardwood cuttings are a super-easy way to propagate many deciduous shrubs from healthy shoots of this year’s growth. Take cuttings 23-30cm long, insert the lower two-thirds in good, well-drained soil, fi rm in, and simply leave for a few months. Stuck for gift ideas? The RHS has released tickets for next year’s fl ower shows including Malvern, Chelsea, and Hampton Court. www.rhs.org.uk A new nationwide garden-share scheme aims to match people who live in homes and fl ats with little to no garden to love at all, with owners of large gardens who can no longer look after them. www.lendandtend.com is a website where people without gardens and garden owners can fi nd a ‘Patch-Match’ and garden-share.

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