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In the bleak mid- winter or so the hymn goes; gives a
false impression of what this season has to offer. Sure I agree that you
won't be dazzled by the array of colours and plants that we see during
our spring and summer months but there certainly is no end of interest
to stimulate your imagination.
October is generally the month when autumn
colour is at its best, however because of how our seasons vary this can
last into the winter months, even in December I have seen plants displaying
autumn colour, so keep a look out at your trees and shrubs.
Winters have now become windy and wet affairs,
which will cause us problems if we haven't protected our most precious
of plants. Do this by using fleece or even straw if you cannot bring them
inside for the winter months. Don't be a tidy gardener, leave spent flowers
and seed heads for our wild friends that visit our gardens on the odd
occasion.
Traditionally then deciduous plants have dropped
their leaves by this time and we are left with our evergreen friends.
But I would ask you to take a good look around your gardens and look at
the surprises that are waiting to be found.
If you look you'll find coloured stems of
dogwoods (Cornus) and willow (Salix);
Winter flowers of viburnum and jasmine
dangling on naked stems. Both sweetly scented in the early mornings. Keep
and eye out for the witch hazels (Hamamelis), and our
friends the winter flowering heathers.
Your efforts in creating winter bedding displays
will start to pay off here ; take a look at your winter baskets and containers
and also those winter bedding plants now in flower, pansy, viola and primrose
to name a few. Don't forget to pinch out faded flowers to keep these plants
providing you with colour.
Winter is also a time when we can contemplate
what we have achieved or what we need to be achieving. Don't forget a
little time spent planning now will see you reap the rewards later.
- Have a good general tidy up, compost leaves but leave seed heads for our feathered friends
- Re-plant with bare root trees and shrubs, as long as the danger of deep frost is not present.
- Dig areas to be planted, incorporate well-rotted manures or composts.
- Prune ornamentals and fruits. It's a good time because we now can see their main frameworks without leaves.
- Feed the birds
- Bring in your pond pump, and place a tennis ball on the surface of your pond in case it freezes.
This will allow for an oxygen hole if a severe frost should occur.
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- Cornus alba 'Siberica'
- Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn'
- Jasminum nudiflorum
- Mahonia x media 'Charity'
- Clematis armandii
- Cyclamen coum
- Acuba japonica
- Ilex aquifolium 'Handsworth New Silver'
- Helleborus niger
- Erica carnea
Darren
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