Plant stories UK 2010 by Colour your Life

2010 UK

Table of contents January ´Winter blooms´

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February ´Carnival´

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March ´Mum´s delight´

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April ´Easter treat´

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May ´Surprising shapes´

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June ´Perennial perfection´

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July ´Summer fun´

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August ´Potted paradise´

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September ´Bumper harvest´

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October ´Ever stylish´

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November ´Colour, texture and more…´

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December ´Christmas jewels´

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January

Hellebores New Year, new plant stories New Year – new you! Everywhere you look at this time we are being encouraged to begin new life-regimes for exercise, weight loss, savings, learning new skills. It’s exhausting just to look at them – try putting them into practice! What everyone really needs to pep-them up now is a spot of plant magic and what better plant group to do this than the hellebores?

Winter gardens are wonderful Appearing to strike through the surface of the ground when all else is asleep, hellebores are an arresting sight. Beautiful flowers, which may be white, cream, pink, purple or green, sometimes with gorgeous detailing in the form of spots or contrasting margins, are unexpected in mid-winter yet hellebores are sure to deliver them. Put clusters of three to five plants together in your garden to make a bold statement about the fact that winter gardens are wonderful.

Hellebores bring structure and interest Hellebores are perfect for injecting brightness and beauty into the garden when it can otherwise look sleepy. Enjoy them from the window or better still get out in the open air with them – either way flowers now will deliver their special therapy and improve how you feel. All the family will love them and if you’ve never had them before, friends and family members will be surprised and delighted when they first

see them. Although their winter beauty often provides a welcome contrast to the weather, they yield structure and interest all year round.

Planting zone of Hellebores Plants of the woodland margin, they are happiest where they can enjoy both sun and shade. Near trees or taller plants would be perfect, for example in the naturalistic setting of an open woodland garden or in a mixed or shrub border. They are tolerant of a range of soils, but prefer moist, fertile, humus rich soils and will get off to a flying start if you improve the soil at the time of planting with leaf mould or compost.

Sorts of Hellebores Helleborus niger ‘Potter’s Wheel’, with its large white flowers with green-eyes or Helleborus x ballardiae ‘December Dawn’ which has big (68cm across) white flowers, flushed pinkishpurple. Helleborus foetidus (stinking hellebore) is called this because the leaves give off an unpleasant smell if crushed, but the flowers are a fabulous green and often have the exquisite detail of being purple-margined. Helleborus foetidus ‘Miss Jekyll’ contradicts the name of ‘stinking’ by having lovely fragrant flowers! As a final suggestion, look out for the much loved Helleborus hybridus ‘Peggy Ballard’ with its gorgeous deep pink flowers. These stars of the winter garden are easy to live with and require little maintenance in return for a wonderful show. Have you got space for some?

February

Hamamelis Shrove Tuesday is Carnival February exciting? Surely not? In this country the period between New Year and Easter is only enlivened by Shrove Tuesday (when we make pancakes) but in parts of the world with strong Caribbean, Brazilian or Portuguese influences they have that thing called Carnival – wow! Exciting it certainly is. With a history dating back to Ancient Greece, it was incorporated into the calendar of the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages as a pre-Lenten feast. It has been big in Venice for hundreds of years, an opportunity for excess made possible by masks and hidden identities. It was, however, the abolition of slavery that really triggered the amazing spectacle we can experience today. Drilling down for one message in the whole story it is that for a short time normal rules don’t apply, anything goes. It’s like a safety valve, people can let off steam then return to their normal lives.

Witch hazel It’s not too much of stretch to suggest that Hamamelis, or by its more exciting and evocative popular name ‘Witch hazel’, is a plant that fits in perfectly with the Carnival mood. In February, when we are most in need of some glamour in the garden, it can be seen in its finery. The fragrant flowers in clusters of narrow petals are reminiscent of the beads and sequins of carnival costumes, exciting to look at after the bare branches of deep winter. The flowers and fragrance of Hamamelis emerge from the jaws of winter and are welcome proof that spring is on its way. 5

Hamamelis x intermedia Hamamelis x intermedia is a great species for growing in the garden to bring the excitement of flowers in February, with the added bonus of fragrance. This shrub bears mostly golden or yellow flowers, mainly in mid-late winter. ‘Allgold’ is always popular with its yellow flowers, as is ‘Arnold Promise’, with its large yellow flowers. ‘Pallida’ and ‘Sunburst’ are also fabulous. Hamamelis x intermedia is a medium-large shrub that can reach up to 4m in height and spread at maturity. ‘Sunburst’ is a little more compact (at 2.5m), making it the perfect choice if space is limited. Other Hamamelis also flower now, great examples being varieties of Hamamelis mollis (Chinese witch hazel), which again bears yellow flowers or Hamamelis vernalis (Ozark witch hazel) which bears flowers in a range of colours from yellow through orange to red-tinged.

Carnival flavour Hamamelis can really bring a Carnival flavour to our gardens at what can appear to be a dormant time. They tolerate a range of soils from acid to neutral, and even deeper soils over chalk. Put them in a sheltered spot and get the added benefit of fragrances accumulating, but they do like to have plenty of light getting to them. It may not be Rio outside your window, but some plant magic courtesy of Hamamelis will certainly challenge our traditional assumptions about February in the garden.

March

Magnolia Mother's Day and Magnolias We can probably all remember the righteous indignation that accompanied the announcement that a retailer in one British town promoted dust pans and brushes as Mother’s Day gifts – it just wasn’t on! Mother’s Day should be a special occasion - a chance for everyone to make a fuss of that special lady. The gift of a glorious Magnolia – so much a signature plant of this time of year, is just right for this. Whether you go for the simple stars of Mangolia stellata or the glorious goblets of Magnolia soulangeana, planting one of these winners is a wonderful way to celebrate Mother’s Day. Smaller varieties are perfect for container growing, so Magnolias can deliver their magic even if outdoor space is in short supply.

Magnolia Stellata Magnolia stellata is the perfect choice for container growing, flowering profusely in spring with white or delicate pink flowers, depending on variety. Magnolia ‘Susan’, which produces glorious purple-red flowers with the bonus of fragrance, is another great option if space is limited. Take the time to choose an attractive pot that will be big enough to accommodate the shrub as it grows. There’s a fantastic range to choose from these days and a well-potted plant will really make the gift a winner! With more space, you might consider planting directly in the ground.

Sorts of Magnolias Whether buying or being bought for, there is an exciting range to choose from. Here are a few pointers: Magnolia x loebneri is a wonderful shrub or small tree for the garden, producing masses of star-shaped flowers, 8-13cm across. Look out especially for ‘Leonard Messel’, which produces pale, lilac pink flowers or ‘Merrill’ for white flowers. For large goblet-shaped flowers that come in mid and late spring, look to Magnolia soulangeana. ‘Rustica Rubra’ is a beauty, its purplish red flowers being reminiscent of a good glass of country red, alternatively go for ‘Lennei Alba’ with its pure white blooms. Magnolia campbellii would be great if space allows (it is a bigger tree) because it produces those intriguing ‘cup-and-saucer’ shaped flowers. ‘Darjeeling’ or ‘Charles Raffill’ are very lovely.

Planting zone of Magnolias Magnolias really can be the showpieces of a garden. Put the big ones in prominent positions or with other trees in woodland garden situations. Most prefer soil tending towards acidic, although some, including Magnolia stellata and Magnolia x loebneri, are happy in alkaline soils. They are very light on maintenance, needing nothing more than a trim in late winter to remove any untidy shoots that spoil the framework. They do in fact personify what mums everywhere dream of: something beautiful that gives loads of enjoyment and asks for almost nothing in return!

April

Cytisus Broom (Cytisus) The fragrant yellow flowers of gorse and broom are associated with heathland, the edges of farmland and coastal locations. Gorse flowers can be seen on bushes all year round, giving rise to the old country saying ‘when the gorse is not in flower then kissing’s out of fashion’. Gorse’s cultivated cousin, the broom (Cytisus), tends to restrict its flowering mainly to spring and summer, though some do put on a show very early in the spring, even late winter if it’s mild enough.

Easter time Yellow really is the colour of spring and Easter time. Easter comes when we’re all starting to enjoy longer evenings, warmer temperatures and more opportunities to get outside. What better way to beautify the garden at this time that by planting some glorious yellowflowering shrubs? For compact garden plants that deliver dependable bursts of flowers year after year you can’t do better than broom. A lovely yellow flowering broom or two will be just the thing to sweep away the last of the winter and usher in the start of high season in your garden. Interestingly, in the days before factory goods, stems of broom were used throughout the UK as sweeping implements.

Brooms are easy to maintain Have you got what it takes to enjoy the beauty of brooms? If you’ve got moderately fertile, well drained soil and some places which the sun can get to, you can enjoy the benefits of brooms. They’re not too fussy and will 9

tolerate lime soils, although may not perform to their best over shallow chalk soils. Certainly they are easy to live with, needing only periodic pruning either in late winter or after flowering to maintain a healthy attractive shape. They make an ideal seasonal focal point in a shrub border. Cytisus is great for combining with bulbs and flowers of mid-late spring, for example tulips or narcissi. It’s especially effective as part of the structure of a border, providing the perfect backdrop for lower-growing plants.

Sorts of brooms Species suggestions include: Cytisus x praecox ‘Allgold’, always a favourite. An RHS Award of Garden Merit plant, ‘Allgold’ has really earned its stripes. It’s tough, reliable and produces masses of dark yellow flowers. ‘Warminster’ is another popular choice, in this case producing creamy yellow flowers. Cytisus ‘Porlock’ is a great option for colour now – ‘Porlock’ is bigger than Cytisus x praecox at a maximum height and spread of 3m but is a little less hardy. Many of the other varieties available flower a little later. Why not plant a selection to guarantee a wonderful yellow spectacle right into summer.

May

Euphorbia Lots of diversity with Euphorbia When it comes to diversity, Euphorbia has to get the prize! In its wild form, this plant has evolved to occupy a huge range of habitats in tropical, subtropical and temperate zones. This has led to an exciting flourishing of forms, from tree-like succulents, through upright shrubs, to rounded shrubs, clumpforming perennials, dwarf succulents and prostrate semi-succulents. It is reckoned to be one of the most diverse plant families in the entire kingdom of plants.

Exciting proposition This makes it a really exciting proposition for gardeners who are looking to bring some renewed ‘zing’ to rock gardens, mixed or shrub borders or woodland gardens. Whatever the situation, there will probably be a Euphorbia to fill it. This selection will mostly appeal to gardeners looking for colour and interest in mid/late spring or early summer.

Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow' If you are looking for some striking foliage from a perennial plant that also works well as ground cover, then why not try a Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’? As the name suggests, the flower forms are intensely coloured orange-red to red and give the impression of flames springing from the leaves. Ideal conditions are moist soils, rich in humus under light dappled shade. 11

Euphorbia myrsinites For an exotic-looking little star, try Euphorbia myrsinites – an evergreen perennial with succulent leaves that would look great in any rock garden. Flower forms appear at the tips of the stems in spring and are bright greenish yellow. It thrives in full sun in light soil and at only 10cm high, with a spread of 30cm, it delivers a lot of value for the space it needs. Despite its looks, it is fully hardy.

Euphorbia palustris Euphorbia palustris is a robust perennial that produces long-lasting, deep yellow flower forms in late spring and can achieve a height and spread of 90cm. This one needs permanently moist soil and a full sun position to achieve its best potential.

Euphorbia characias For those with a moderate winter (not below -5oC) there is the wonderful option of Euphorbia characias, which originates in Portugal and the Mediterranean. This one needs light, well drained soil in full sun, but if you can offer that, you will be rewarded by an amazing, upright, evergreen shrub of such an exotic appearance that you’ll believe you’ve emigrated! The dense cylindrical or spherical clusters of flower forms develop at the tips of the erect shoots and are a lovely yellow-green. The subspecies wulfenii ‘John Tomlinson’ is particularly outstanding so do look out for it.

Spurge Euphorbia is also known by the popular name ‘spurge’, this related to their former medicinal use as purgatives (‘spurge’ being a corruption of the middle English/old French ‘espurge’). Of interest to the historically minded, when Linnaeus named this plant family in the eighteenth century, he derived the name from Euphorbus, the Greek physician who treated King Juba of Numidia’s swollen belly with resin from this plant.

June

Salvia Perennials Which plant group is the backbone of the summer garden, delivering colour, fragrance and attracting the attention of beneficial wildlife and humans alike? The answer is perennials, that wonderful family of herbaceous plants that launch into life every spring. Colour is key with perennials Think of the stars of borders in gardens big and small and the chances are they will be perennials. Colour is key with perennials – there is such a varied palette to choose from. It’s up to you to decide the mood you want as the garden backdrop to your life – the excitement or vibrancy of red, the romance of pink or the calm of blue and for a plant family that offers all of these and more, look no further than perennial Salvia or sage plants.

Stunning colour and style Offering true perennial perfection, these are a wonderful choice for gardeners looking to bring stunning colour and style to their borders. There is an amazing range to select from, many of them Award of Garden Merit holders, so you can be sure of getting top performance. Now is a great time to plant container grown plants and many salvias are drought tolerant, once established. This makes them a fantastic asset if you are gardening in a drier area.

Salvias attract wildlife Some Salvias are great for attracting beneficial wildlife, including butterflies and bees. This will give a boost to the overall health of both your garden and the surrounding environment – so what are you waiting for? Like most perennials, 13

Salvias are easy to look after. Some are fully hardy across the UK, but others are less so and in certain areas may be better looked on as annuals. Your local garden centre will be delighted to help with advice.

Sorts of Salvias Here are some suggestions: Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ – a wonderful perennial reaching about 75cm in height, bearing violet to purple flowers, fully hardy; Salvia officinalis – a foliage plant with culinary uses, evergreen and hardy, up to 80cm high; Salvia coccinea ‘Lady in Red’ – great for a summer show of red flowers (tender). The closely related ‘Lady in White’ bears white flowers. Salvia patens ‘Cambridge Blue is frost hardy (safe down to -5oC’) and produces very elegant, pale blue flowers. Salvia pratensis is a clump-forming perennial with a woody base. Up to 90cm in height and bearing flowers of violet, though in some case may be pink or white. Hardy.

Salvia's maintenance Salvias are a sun-loving plant, so grow in either full sun or dappled shade. Soils need to be well-drained and moderately fertile. Remove flowers once they have ‘gone over’ (dead heading) and trim in late spring any shoots that spoil symmetry.

July

Lovely Lavatera Classic, fresh plant Get ready for summer fun this July with the help of a classic, yet always fresh plant Lavatera. Popular name mallow, it’s a fantastic, floriferous shrub that grows quickly and vigorously. An established specimen may put on thousands of flowers, each one of which is a delight to the eye and a draw for bees and other beneficial insects. This characteristic makes it popular with children or the child in all of us! Who doesn’t want to do their bit to help our friends the bees – we’d be in trouble without them.

Mallow maintenance Mallows are true sun-worshippers and also thrive in drier soils. Once established they are happy in droughty conditions (but keep them watered as they settle in). Drought tolerance cuts down on the worry of watering, especially if you’re going away and contributes to their credentials as ‘sustainable’ plants for today’s gardens. Another tick in the box for sustainability is that because they attract beneficial insects, they are a great companion plant to grow with roses. As well as complementing the fabulous blooms, their power to bring in beneficial insects will help to invite natural pest control into your garden.

Sorts of Lavateras There are some real favourites in the Lavatera stable, thinking of Lavatera x clementii ‘Barnsley’ or ‘Rosea’ (both Award of Garden Merit plants). The flowers of ‘Barnsley’ are white with red eyes, ‘Rosea’s’ are dark pink. 15

The evocatively named Lavatera ‘Burgundy Wine’ flowers profusely and bears dark pink flowers. ‘Kew Rose’ is another winner, bearing loads of flowers right through the summer, in this case bright pink. Each of these will reach a height and spread of 2m in suitable conditions and the gorgeous flowers are all a similar size at approximately 7cm across.

Excellent beginners plant Lavatera is an excellent beginners plant, making it a good housewarming or, retirement gift (for someone who’s never had time to do much gardening) or even something to encourage a child’s interest. The vigorous growth and copious flowering is very rewarding and the fact that hard pruning in early spring will be rewarded by vigorous new growth and even more flowers in the coming summer will help a novice to get their confidence with the pruning shears.

Mix between refuge and entertainment If you’ve got school-aged children anywhere near you’ll need no reminding that school breaks up for the long hols this month. With this in mind, the garden can serve as both a refuge and a destination for entertainment, depending on your own priorities. Buying and planting flowering shrubs is a fun activity in its own right and will deliver instant results and brighten any border. With options on offer like Lavatera, what are you waiting for?

Seasonal highlights Now’s the time to make the most of long warm evenings and balmy summer days to get some relaxing enjoyment from your garden as a living and entertaining space. The hard work’s been done – make sure you take the chance to sit back and enjoy! Got friends coming at the weekend? The patio looking a little dull? Then why not give things a little makeover with some pots and containers? If you’re short of time, most garden centres will provide these ready-planted so you can have instant enjoyment from the moment you get them home. Badminton, swing ball, a spot of (dare I mention it) football, putting, croquet – it doesn’t matter. The garden is a great play space and playing games is quite simply the best use of time that was ever invented. If you’ve got children then a paddling pool is a must. If you haven’t, then why not try a paddling pool anyway – you’re sure to love it!

Did you know? The Romans ate the leaves and seeds of Lavatera. The tradition of eating the seeds of Lavatera persists in some districts, for example parts of Norfolk, where they are known as ‘pick cheeses’. For most of us nowadays, the lovely flowers make Lavatera a ‘must have’ for any garden.

August

Pleioblastus Bamboos Create an exotic, jungle atmosphere on your patio this summer with wonderful bamboos (Pleioblastus). Great for bringing a faraway feel to the most suburban situation, they combine effectively with their relatives, the flowering grasses, whose decorative foliage and seed heads will provide a long lasting display. Growing bamboos and grasses in pots and containers brings additional flexibility and convenience, and the pots themselves can be ornamental in their own right too.

Bamboo is a 'must have' plant For foliage, form and a strong yet sympathetic personality, bamboo is a ‘must have’ plant. Producing wonderful woody canes and long pointed leaves that are in some cases variegated, they are fully hardy and range in height from 1.2 – 3m (although Pygmy bamboo reaches only a compact 40cm in height.

Pleioblastus auricomus Looking at specifics, Pleioblastus auricomus is a great choice that would enhance any garden. Reaching a height and spread of 1.5m, the yellow, pointed leaves are striped green and look fabulous in the sun. Ideal for container growing, this bamboo can spread to cover larger areas if planted out. Pleioblastus variegatus (Dwarf white striped bamboo) is a small bamboo well suited to container growing. It reaches a height of 75cm and carries stylish dark green leaves striped with cream.

Pleioblastus pygmaeus Pleioblastus pygmaeus is a dwarf bamboo that could have been made for pots! With small leaves and compact dimensions, it can even be managed as a bonsai plant.

Pennisetum villosum (Feathertop) For ornamental grass companions look out for these: Pennisetum villosum (Feathertop) is a compact flowering grass (height and spread 60cm). In late summer it produces gorgeous seed heads, covered in delicate bristles.

Chinese silver grass Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Kleine Fontane’) produces lovely sprays of light brown seed heads in summer. Carex flagellifera, with its arching, evergreen leaves is perfect for container growing. Flowerheads are brown and form at the end long stalks which will trail down over the edge of a pot.

Bamboo maintenance Once you’ve chosen your plants, follow a few simple steps to get the best results from your pots. Put stones or crocks in the bottom of pots to ensure good drainage. Choose a good quality, compost; this will help to preserve moisture and maintain healthy plants. Water and feed plants regularly through the growing season. Avoid drying out of compost and be ready to prune and split clumps every couple of years or so. Shelter bamboo from cold drying winds. Although most of these plants do not have any particular soil requirements, always check the needs of individual varieties. Full sun or partial shade is generally suitable. Well chosen bamboos and flowering grasses will bring a little bit of paradise to your patio for summer, as well as offering a decorative bonus into autumn and beyond.

Seasonal highlights Now’s the time to enjoy a holiday, but make sure someone takes care of your garden. Most established plants growing in the ground will look after themselves even if your trip coincides with a dry spell, but pots, hanging baskets, vegetable plants and new additions will all need some water and love while you’re away. Enter into a reciprocal arrangement with a neighbour or better still, do a house-swap. You’d be amazed how many people do this these days with other homeowners near and far. 19

Maybe you’ve been doing it all summer, but if not, now is the time to get out your barbeque and start enjoying outdoor-cooked food. Gas or charcoal, it all tastes great, is a healthy way to cook and lingering food smells become delicious aromas when they are free to escape on the evening breeze! Baden Powell, founder of the Scout movement, slept on a camp bed on an outdoor balcony winter and summer for many years. We’re not advocating that, but night or two under canvas, either in the garden or at a campsite will leave you feeling more alive and vigorous than normal – as well as making you appreciate your own bed when you get back in it. A warm August night is exactly the time to reawaken your inner outdoorsperson!

Did you know? The fastest growing plant in the world is a bamboo species that can grow at the rate of 1 metre a day. This is three times as fast as the fastest growing tree. Thankfully, the ones we grow in our gardens are more manageable than that!

September

Soft fruits Picking your own fruit Everyone knows the value of eating plenty of fresh fruit and what could be better than getting some of it from your own garden! The boom in growing edible plants is set to continue and it’s easy to see why. Picking your own fruit that you’ve watched maturing over the weeks is so satisfying. Good for body and soul, fruit packed with vitamins will feed your sense of well-being and reinforce your connection with nature in a way that shop-bought never could.

Benefits of soft fruit in your garden Soft fruit is a brilliant place to start your foray into fruit growing because results come quickly, you don’t need much space and soft fruit is packed with all the best vitamins (as well as being very expensive in the shops!)

Blackberries Blackberries (Rubus) are fantastic because they are so easy to grow and who ever heard of someone that didn’t love them? Until quite recently they were regarded by many as a hedgerow ‘weed’ and most gardening references were in relation to controlling them. Now, however, the tide has turned and cultivating blackberries in gardens has a strong following and there are some wonderful varieties. Some of these are thornless and others can be grown in large pots. They usually need some kind of support – a fence can be perfect - but some may be self-supporting. 21

Given their hedgerow heritage, it is exciting to discover how much diversity there is amongst cultivated Rubus. ‘Loch Ness’ is a superb cultivated variety. Vigorous, spine free and easy to manage, it is the perfect choice for smaller gardens and yields heavy crops of delicious fruits. ‘Loch Tay’ is early fruiting and tough enough to withstand heavy summer rain. ‘Waldo’ is a thornless variety with fabulous flavour, whilst ‘Ashton Cross’ is very heavy cropping.

Raspberries Raspberries (also members of the Rubus family) are another guaranteed success in the garden because of their popularity in the kitchen! Later-fruiting varieties include ‘Autumn Bliss’ which is a short-caned, sturdy, high yielding plant, the fruits of which are deep red and have an excellent flavour. ‘Leo’ or ‘Polka’ are also wonderful late-fruiting varieties. Ideal conditions for most cultivars of Rubus are medium/well drained soil with plenty of organic matter.

Involve children and youngsters Children love home-grown fruit so it’s a great way of making the ‘five a day’ rule part of everyone’s lives at home. Planting, feeding and picking are also great activities to get youngsters involved in. Even a handful of bushes or canes will soon yield good crops with the right care. Before you know it you’ll be making jams and crumbles as well as enjoying fruit fresh from the garden.

Seasonal highlights – September This is a wonderful time in the natural year. After a good summer, hedgerows and orchards are heavy with fruit and the wild creatures are busy all around us, getting ready for the harder days to come. But for now, summer’s finale is there to be enjoyed. In the garden, flowering grasses are looking fantastic, bringing with them the feel of the savannah. Perhaps if you live in a drought area the whole garden creates this impression. Welcome autumn rain will be with us soon to feed parched soils and invigorate plants. And September means ‘back to school’. If you haven’t got children this makes it a great time to get out and about, to visit gardens or go on plant-buying trips, away from the crowds of summer holidays. If your family is still at home, make the most of after school to get them outside, blackberrying, gathering conkers and letting off steam after being cooped up all day.

Did you know? In World War One, people brought pram-loads of wild blackberries from the hedgerows around the city to Oxford’s jam factories which turned them into jam for the troops.

October

Conifers Any weather, any season, any soil Conifers must be the ultimate plant group for year-round appeal. Any weather, any season, almost any soil, they are there delivering the goods. There is such diversity among conifers, you can get even more visual value by planting species and varieties with unusually coloured leaves. And it isn’t just the benefit of what we see, it has been proven scientifically that the needles of conifers trap and neutralise those deadly disease-causing particulates, thereby improving air quality around our homes and workplaces.

Dwarf species of conifers Style and fun are the key concepts to have in mind when thinking about conifers. Dwarf species, for example Pinus mugo are full of natural humour. Take ‘Mops’ that almost spherical little tree that works so well in beds and borders, or Pinus pumila (Dwarf Siberian pine) - another star whose diminutive family member ‘Compacta’ will happily slot in to most garden situations. These dwarfs need only a couple of metres of ground and will give so much year-round value in return. Similarly, many of the golden conifers available in this country are dwarf varieties which makes them highly adaptable for use in smaller gardens, or in areas of special interest such as rock gardens. In these situations they can provide colour and interest, especially when many other garden plants are dormant. The leaves of some take on a bronze tinge in winter which is an added colour bonus and all will look fabulous encrusted with hoar frost or dusted with a covering of snow.

Conifers that deserve special mention Here are a few species and varieties that deserve a special mention. From the family of the White cedar, Thuja occidentalis ‘Rheingold’ is highly valued for its golden-yellow foliage. Added colour features include the fact that foliage is pink-tinged when young and turns bronze in winter.‘Rheingold’ reaches a height of 1-2m. Another White cedar, ‘Golden Globe’ has lots to offer as a plant for a rockery or small garden. A spherical, dwarf shrub, it has bright golden foliage and grows to an approximate height and spread of 1m. If you’re looking for a bigger tree with a columnar-conical form to fulfil a particular garden design theme, look out for Thuja plicata, it’s an absolute beauty. From the family of the Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria) you can choose either end of the spectrum: ‘Elegans compacta’ is an attractive conical shrub that has dark green juvenile foliage which turns bronze in winter and will reach 2-4m in height, whilst Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese Cedar) is a handsome tree that can reach 25m! No survey of ever stylish conifers would be complete without a mention of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) ‘Gold Coin’. This slow growing shrub sports intense golden foliage and achieves a height and spread of approximately 2m. Grow these conifers in deep soil with good drainage. They will do best in sheltered, sunny positions. Japanese cedars will tolerate chalky soils and are happy in partial shade. Thujas need shelter from cold drying winds.

November

Betula and Acer griseum Trees with ornamental bark If you’re looking to add an exciting plant dimension to your garden this autumn, trees with ornamental bark could be the answer. Providing the perfect contrast to autumn leaf colour or bare winter branches, bark also brings added value in the form of fascinating textures. The right trees can transform a garden into something very special. They provide focal points in lawns or borders, frame gateways and entrances into other areas and their shape and size influence the tone of the garden – formal, graceful, naturalistic. And remember that with soil still warm and plant growth almost at a standstill, autumn is a great time for planting trees. Just as with other features like leaf colour or form, there is a wonderful choice of decorative barks. Of course, all trees have bark – it provides a protective layer for the growing tissues of the trees. Certain trees, however, produce bark with particularly attractive colours, or unusual textures. Choose from the following selection to achieve a wonderful variety of effects:

Birches (Betula) Birches (Betula) generally display wonderful bark. Attractive colour, fine, almost papery texture, and some compact garden cultivars make them a great choice. Look out for these varieties of Silver birch: ‘Purpurea’ which has purple-tinged bark, dark purple leaves and achieves a height and spread at maturity of 10m and 3m respectively. ‘Tristis’, with its white bark, is great where space is limited, with slender branches growing outwards from the central stem.

Maples (Acer) Maples (Acer) are justly popular for their foliage, but some are equally interesting for their bark. Find a place in your garden for the Paper-bark maple (Acer griseum). Its wonderful bark is orangey-brown in colour which peels attractively. Added to fabulous autumn colour, this tree is a great choice as a specimen tree for small gardens. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also slow growing, with a spreading growth habit. Ideal as a centre-piece in a lawn, it achieves a height and spread of 10m. Pere Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maple (Acer Davidii) is a bigger tree â&#x20AC;&#x201C; achieving a height and spread at maturity of 15m - so needs more space. The bark is streaked green and white. The Snakebark maple (Acer rufinerve) is another good option, the bark of its young shoots has a bluish tinge, its branches are green and white striped. This tree has an elegant, arching growth habit and achieves a height and spread of 10m. These trees are all hardy and have no special soil or site requirements.

December

Skimmia japonica Christmas Successful garden centres become Christmas shops now. Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it amazing how much seasonal retailing has come on in the last decade. Now sophisticated Christmas experiences are on offer, frequently with artificial snow and real reindeer!

The perfect Christmas gift What a fantastic opportunity it is to sell plants to your non-traditional customers. Families will be coming through your doors who wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t normally and most centres these days really make their seasonal visitors feel welcome. But do we always do enough to show them that plants are the ideal gift? Make it your mission to see every basket or trolley going through the tills with a garden plant in it. Just think of the impact this would have on plant turnover at this traditionally quiet time for plant sales.

Plant choices for December One of the finest winter berrying plants is Skimmia japonica reevesiana. This is a compact, dwarf, evergreen shrub and the crimson red fruits stay on the plant throughout winter and are especially seasonal in December. Skimmia japonica reevesiana is a hermaphrodite plant (male and female organs) which means that it will bear berries as a single plant. This is a real asset when promoting plants as gifts.

Another option could be Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’. In this case it is the red-margined leaves and dark red flower buds that provide the visual interest in autumn and winter. White berries are on offer from Skimmia japonica ‘Fructo Albo’. Add value by matching plants with pots for a walk-away combo! Add a gift wrap or ribbon to complete the offer.

Seasonal highlights Isn’t it amazing how garden centres have become Christmas centres? Only a few years ago they might not have been top of the list for goodies and experiences, including Santa’s grotto and real reindeer, but they certainly are now. It’s the same with plants. Some varieties really do make the perfect Christmas gifts, including Skimmia, Erica, hellebores and hollies. Pick up something beautiful and alive when you’re next in your local centre and give it to someone you love. Remember the outdoors this festive time – it’s the best resource for soothing frayed nerves or over-indulged digestions. Staying with friends or family? Getting out for a bracing walk can restore equilibrium and harmony and give everyone some respite. It brings home to us all the importance of green space on our doorsteps. Make it a new year’s resolution to tell everyone how valuable our ‘green lungs’ are – they even have the power to keep families together by giving them somewhere to get away from each other!