Festive December Gardening Notes

Brighten up the space around your front door this Christmas. Door wreaths can be made with the most plentiful garden greenery, such as holly, ivy, winter or evergreen jasmine – in fact any evergreen foliage and winter flower or berry that is available. Battery operated led lights can be wrapped around and will give a welcoming glow as light fades in the evening.

If you have planters near the front door, scented flowers also give a warm welcome. At this time of year, sarcococca (Christmas Box), daphne odora aureomarginata, and hyacinths will provide that something extra.

Enjoy inside gardening in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year- houseplants are plentiful and will help to lift your spirits during the darker days and longer nights of winter. Be careful to pick the right space for each plant: for cool areas, cyclamen will be very happy and come in a range of colours from festive reds and white to purple and shades of pink – water sparingly. Azaleas are also happiest without heat, as they are naturally a woodland plant – water prolifically!

The bright red bracts of poinsettia make them a favourite in December, but they don’t appreciate winter weather. Keep them warm at a fairly constant temperature if possible, and away from cold draughts near windows and doors. Schlumbergera (Christmas cactus) have a tropical look with their succulent stems and myriad of flowers, and are surprisingly easy to grow and keep from year to year.

Bowls of spring bulbs such as paperwhite narcissi are easy to prepare and care for, and amaryllis are always a Christmas favourite; their rigid stems rise up to produce huge buds before transforming into huge trumpets of colour.

Don’t forget Christmas tree season is now in full swing. Buy early for the best selection and keep outside (in water if possible) until you cannot resist the temptation to bring them in to decorate.

Happy Christmas!

David Hogg

Buckland Nurseries