December 2013 News from the Nursery

We would like to thank all our customers for the orders they have sent us during the year – much appreciated in what has been a challenging year for sales. Can the weather for 2014 be any more challenging – I hope not!

At the moment, as I sit at the kitchen table writing this, we are having gentle December weather, light wind – dry – and on the verge of sunny. Ideal for doing jobs that would be unpleasant in rain or snow. The blackbirds, many are new arrivals from Scandinavia and Germany, insist on scratching and pecking all the old leaves out from under my Bay Laurus noblis onto the path, which will become slippery when wet. I think I shall brush them up and tuck them behind my Camellias where they can root through them for food without making a mess. The annual invasion of continental birds have eaten lots of the berries in the garden. We do still have some autumn colour on deciduous plants, but leaves are falling quickly as we have now had a few frosts.

The evergreens are becoming more noticeable now and proving their worth in the winter garden. There still plants that flower in these winter months that give fragrance above flamboyance.
Sarcococcas are very fragrant and prefer shade. Viburnum x bodnantense Dawn have flowers on and off for months and smell good. Correas which are selling well are unfortunately not fragrant but have nice neat evergreen leaves and flower over a long period – they need a position out of cold drying winds, but are well worth growing. They can also be grown in a container for a cool conservatory or sheltered porch.

Rosemarys are also plants that flower intermittently through the winter and early spring months. We have Rosmarinus officinalis Haifa starting to flower now. This is a low growing variety for trailing down walls and banks or over a big pot. Rosemarys need sun and good drainage.

For a Christmas gift to a gardener who would like to browse our site and chose their own plants, we have our Gift Vouchers. Delivery can be arranged for when the recipient is ready to take the order.

Happy Christmas and A Prosperous New Year