December 2022 -For the Love of Gardening!

Hello!

A big festive welcome! You’ve landed on my sparkly new Design Diary, also welcome to all who read The Bishopstone News, It’s a pleasure to be contributing to the re- launch of a beloved publication.!

Over the coming months I’ll share my passion for design, plants & gardens and all things creative. They’ll be hints & tips, plant lists galore, seasonal things to do and I’ll do my best to answer your garden and design related questions.. Let the fun begin!

Plant a seasonal welcoming container

Spot the Bee! How many bee’s can you see in the winter container sketch?

Recipe for a festive one pot!

Ingredients:

•  One bucket size or slightly smaller container with holes in the bottom for drainage.

• 1-2 handfuls of stones, chunky gravel or broken crockery.

• Plant feet or bricks

• Plants. At least one tall one for impact, 3-5 medium plants for interest plus some trailing ivy and pops of colour. Visit my web site for a handy winter container plant list www.janepearsondesign.com/hints&tips

• Water

• Some decorations: You could use: a small string of battery or solar Outdoor twinkly lights, baubles (best not to use glass!) and a lovely chunky ribbon.

• Plenty of Incentive-this might include hot chocolate, mulled wine, and mince pies!

 Method

1. Choose your container, If made of terracotta make sure its frost-proof (not frost-resistant) to prevent cracking. Planted containers can get heavy so either plant ‘in place’ or choose a lightweight pot that’s easy to move.

2. Raise your pot off the ground with pot feet or bricks, this lessens the likelihood of frost damage to your plants (just a couple of inches above ground can be a degree or two warmer!)

3. Place stones, broken crockery/pots or chunky gravel in the bottom of the container to a rough depth of 1cm ( ½ in) , this stops the compost washing out but still allowing water drainage.

4. Fill the pot 2/3 full with peat free multipurpose compost or make your own mix with 2 parts good garden soil and 1 part well-rotted garden compost.

5. Carefully remove your plants from their pots (biodegradable pots can be planted directly into the compost), tease out the roots gently and arrange on top of the compost. You want the original soil level of your plant to sit about 3.5cm (1.5 in) below your pot lip, so you might have to add or remove the compost in your new pot to achieve this.

6. Once everything is in place, firm the compost gently around your plants and add a dusting of fresh compost to top your pot (no more than 1 cm (1/2 in)

7. Water well to settle any air pockets and top up with compost if necessary. You should end up with a 2.5cm (1 in) gap between the soil level and the top of your container

8. Garnish with a bow, baubles and or twinkly lights

9. Admire your gorgeous creation. It looks festively fab!

Aftercare

A weekly watering should be enough in the winter with no feeding required until the spring.

Deadhead regularly to encourage more flowers

Bee Wise!

Bees need our help and many species don’t hibernate in the winter, they huddle together to keep their queen warm and on sunny days they leave the hive in search of nectar. You’ll really help them by planting winter flowering plants such as Mahonia, Hellebores, Willows, Crocuses, Snowdrops and Aconites.

Hints & Tips

Here’s a plant list for your winter containers - all are happy in light shade, so great for this time of year:

Tall plants for impact:

Bay (Laurus nobilis) - look out for twisted stems and shaped specimens

Dog wood, try Cornus sanguinea midwinter fire or Cornus alba siberica for vivid red colour

Portugese laurel (Prunus lusitanica )

Yew (Taxus)

Rosmary

 Medium height plants - choose 3 to 5 for your container

Japanese Skimmia (Skimmia japonica)

Heuchera (try plum pudding, or Cherry Truffles)

Carex

Evergreen ferns are great for deep shade:

Hart’s tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium)

Common Polypody ( Polypodium Vulgare)

Soft Shield fern ( Polystichum setiferum)

Smaller infill plants for a pop of colour

Silver plants:

Senecio cineraria

Helichrysum

Calocephalus brownie Red cyclamen

Viola’s and winter flowering pansies

For fun:

Ornamental cabbages & Kale

For extending into spring:

Minatare scented daffodils (Narcissus Tête à tête)

Ten things to do in the garden this December

 1.     Plant Tree’s & Shrubs

2.     Take hardwood cuttings

3.     Prune Acers, Birches and Vines before Christmas to avoid bleeding.

4.     Prune open-grown apples & aear trees (but not those trained against a wall)

5.     Harvest leeks, parsnips, winter cabbage, sprouts & remaining root crops

6.     Reduce watering of houseplants and don’t feed them, they need a fast!

7.     Check your winter protection structures are securely in place including tree stakes

8.     Mulch your borders,

9.     wrap delicate pots and move tender plants to warmer areas.

10.  Check your green house heaters are working-for your plants and your personal winter escape!

Seasonal greetings from the Lynchetts

Happy Christmas & happy gardening,