Wealden Times | WT259 | December 2023 | Christmas Supplement inside

Stalwart
Friends
Jo Arnell edits down a selection of her favourite reliable
plants to see you through the whole season
‘
That can’t be your favourite
plant, surely?’ People are too
polite to say this to me out
loud, but they may well be thinking
it when I point to a quiet evergreen
in my border. The truth is that I have
many favourites – I love salvias, adore
pittosporums, daphnes, tulips, hebes,
hydrangeas – but, frustratingly, I can’t
always rely on them. The changing
climate, with long periods of dry,
wet or freezing weather, is making
it challenging for every plant (and
gardener). This is exactly the time
when we need good doers that won’t
let us down, that we can trust to carry
us through the seasons while our fairweather
flowers come and (mainly)
go. Who wants a fussy princess
when we’re despairing or in a crisis?
What we need are stalwart friends.
Trusted trees and shrubs
Long periods of drought in the
growing season are making the
establishment of trees harder. It
takes two years for a newly planted
tree or large shrub to settle into its
new home. This means watering
deeply at least once a week, more
if it’s hot and dry, mulching
and keeping the area around the
roots free from competition and
regularly checking for signs of
stress. Ornamental attributes are
important when choosing what to
plant, but increasingly, resistance to
pests and diseases and the ability to
withstand difficult conditions is key.
Amelanchier has to be the best
one to choose for a small garden.
It has three seasons of interest, is
good for wildlife, and grows in most
conditions, though the best autumn
colour comes if it’s in a sunny spot.
Crataegus (Hawthorn) is another.
There are lots of varieties around, not
just the native hedgerow one. Most
have good autumn foliage and berries.
Gingko biloba is an ancient
tree with attractive leaves and
good autumn colour. It’s also
mainly pest and disease free.
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