Natural Christmas decorations & seasonal tree and plant tips

Decorating your home with festive berries and greenery from the garden is so easy and cheap. Few gardens are without ivy (whether wanted or unplanned). If you have mature trees they will often have long trails making their way up the trunk. These can make an excellent start to a garland. Just wire on small baubles and extra seasonal stems from shrubs. For wreath-making, a simple mossed wire frame will give a perfect base for a festive decoration. Holly is a reliable favourite, but a look around the garden will give you plenty of extra foliage ideas. ‘Tis now the season for Christmas trees! Just remember to keep them away, as much as possible, from direct sources of heat, and to keep soil moist around pot-grown trees. Cut trees should also be kept in water, so stand top-ups are important. Even low-drop trees such as Nordman fir will benefit as water at the base will delay the drying out of the needles. Small pot-grown trees are great for small spaces and can sit well on a table top. A string of tiny microlights and a few mini-decorations add a perfect festive touch. At this time of year, houseplants need plenty of light: keep cyclamen and azaleas cool, but poinsettias need a fairly constant warm temperature to protect the red bracts from falling. Bowls of hyacinths will bring a heady scent to a hallway or near a front door.

Outside:

• In greenhouses, damp conditions can encourage mouldy botrytis to form. Keep ventilating and remove yellow or diseased leaves.
• For recently planted trees, check ties and stakes before and after windy weather
• Move plants now if they are in the wrong position. Apart from frosty weather, this is the best time to move any shrub or perennial, as they are mostly likely to survive and thrive after a transplant in a dormant period.

David Hogg Buckland Nurseries