Aroundtown Magazine Winter 2022 edition

GARDEN
Out in the
garden
with Garden Designer Sally Cunis
After the warmth and
excitement of the festive period,
the idea of gardening in the
New Year is not always the
most tempting prospect.
Rain, winds, ice, snow and short days
encourage us to hibernate, but the garden is not
sleeping and there is a great deal to plan, to enjoy
and to do in the garden whatever the weather.
“
Many early flowering
shrubs have tiny, scented
flowers to attract the few
beneficial insects that are
around at this time of year.
”
Snowdrops, one of the first harbingers of spring,
push their way through frozen ground, tiny white
nodding bells on delicate stems. They will be
followed by crocus, primroses and egg-yellow
aconites before too long. Hellebores in delicate
hues with freckled throats hang their heads to
protect pollen from inclement weather as they
emerge from clumps of deeply divided evergreen
leaves.
Many early flowering shrubs have tiny, scented
flowers to attract the few beneficial insects that
are around at this time of year. Their perfume
is exquisite, intense and to be treasured. Plant
Daphne, Viburnum, Sarcococca, Lonicera
fragrantissima (winter flowering shrubby
honeysuckle) and the early Clematis armandii
close to a doorway or along a footpath where their
scent will be captured, will waft on the breeze and
lift the spirits.
On the terrace or by the front door, place pots
of bulbs, small violas and hardy cyclamen to add
some instant colour to the more sombre winter
palette. More permanent interest at this time of
the year is found in coloured dogwoods (Cornus),
peeling tree bark, the structure of clipped box
and hedges. Choose from a range of variegated
evergreens to lighten the gloom; Euonymus,
Pittosporum and Eleagnus are amongst my
favourites. Hedera (ivy) will climb or create an
effective ground cover through which bulbs and
shrubs can emerge. It has the added benefit of
providing nutrient-rich berries for the birds and
safe places for them to nest and roost.
Snowdrops
If the weather permits,
here is a list of things to
do out in the garden:
• Check tree ties and stakes against
wind rock
• Get on with some winter digging;
cover prepared soil with old carpet/
cardboard/membrane to allow soil to
warm up prior to planting
• If you have neglected to do so,
wrap up any slightly tender plants
and potted plants still in the garden
• Carry on planting bare-root trees,
shrubs and roses until the end of
March (but no later as once they are
in leaf, plants will lose moisture quickly
and are less easy to establish)
• Clear away old rhubarb leaves
and debris and set a rhubarb forcer,
large pot or old dustbin over the crown
to encourage fresh young stems
• Winter prune hardy shrubs, such as
Buddleia and Spirea towards the end of
February. In the kitchen garden,
currants, gooseberries and fruit trees
can also be pruned.
Helleborus orientalis
Purple Crocus
Pittosporum edged with frost
Egg-yellow Aconites
If the weather is poor,
here are some ideas for
indoor jobs:
• Tidy and organise the shed including
cleaning pots with a dilute solution of
Jeyes fluid for reuse next season
• Organise a mower service
• Chit first early potatoes in a
frost-free room
• Plant up containers for seasonal colour
with primulas, hardy cyclamen and
variegated foliage to brighten winter days
• Move plants such as Orchids,
Cymbidium and Clivia into a warm
room or conservatory to flower
• Winter is the best time to see the
structure of the garden, any problems
with its layout, gaps in planting and
to plan any changes required
• Finally do some armchair gardening
and relax with seed and plant catalogues
and dream of warmer months!
As for me, our eldest daughter is getting
married in the garden at the end of the
summer so the excitement is mounting and
plans for seeds, planting, pruning and garden
maintenance fill my waking hours!
Wishing you all a happy, healthy gardening
New Year.
Orange Clivia
68 aroundtownmagazine.co.uk