TOPICAL HINTS FOR EARLY WINTER
Fruit
Currants and gooseberries can be pruned now. The priority with red and white currants and gooseberries is to prune back the lateral that have fruited to a couple of buds from the main branches. With blackcurrants it is best to remove 1/3 of the older branches from the base each year.
Flowers
Old leaves can be cut off Hellebores that produce flowers from the ground level, to sjow off flowers and remove possible diseases. Plants can also be mulched with bark or grit to stop getting splashed with mud and becoming unsightly.
Patio pots and containers should be raised off the ground on feet or bricks to aviod plants sitting in waterlogged soil and pots being damaged by sharp frosts.
Trees, Shrubs and Hedges
Newly planted trees, shrubs and hedges should be protected from cold winds and frosts, which can lift and loosen roots. If you notice this problem plants should be gently firmed back into the ground. Mulches will help protect roots from frost.
Wisteria shoots that were prunued in the Summer can be cutback to 2 or 3 buds, but be careful not to cut off any flower buds.
Wall climbers such as Virginia Creeper and Boston Ivy can be pruned now, clearing the plants from around windows, doors and gutters is especially important.
Birds in the Garden
A lot of berries and seeds that birds eat have already been eaten at this time of year so feeding the birds is even more important. Hanging feeders in different trees and shrubs in the garden can also help you as whilst the birds are waiting their turn on the feeder they will be looking for potential pests on the plants, such as aphid eggs, etc.
TOP 10 SHRUBS FOR WINTER INTEREST
1. Skimmia Japonica – Dwarf scented evergreen shrubs coloured beds through the winter open with cream scented flowers in the spring. Good varieties includes:- S.Rubella (male, S.Reevesiana (self fertile) and two new varieties S.Magic Marlot with variegated foliage (male) and S.Obsession (self fertile). FROM £2.99
2. Sarcococca (Christmas Box) – Dwarf evergreen shrubs with highly scented flowers from mid-winter through to spring. Good varieties include:- S.Confusa, S.Hookeriana Humilis and S.Ruscifolia. FROM £6.99
3. Hamamellis (Witch Hazel) – Beautiful winter flowering shrubs with spider like blooms of yellow through orange to reddish many of which are scented. Good varieties include:- H.Arnold Promise (yellow), H.Orange Beauty (orange/yellow) and H.Ruby Glow. FROM £6.99
4. Leucothoe – Dwarf evergreen shrubs with foliage that turns deep red in autumn and winter. Good varieties include:- L.Scarletta, L.Red Lips and a new interesting variety L.Curly Fantasy. FROM £6.99
5. Viburnum Tinus – One of the most popular evergreens with a mass of white pink budded flowers bourn continually from winter to spring. Good varieties include:- V.Tinus Gwenlian with deep pink buds and V.Tinus Eve Price, a dense compact variety. FROM £6.99
6. Mahonia – Small to medium-sized evergreen shrub with yellow flowers during winter and spring which are often scented. Good varieties include:- Medium-sized varieties M.Charity, M.Winter Sun and a small variety M.Aquifolium Apollo. FROM £7.99
7. Pittosporum Tenuifolium – Small to large evergreen shrubs in a wide range of leaf colours give excellent form to the winter garden. Good varieties include:- The small P.Tom Thumb (purple leaved), medium sized P.Irene Patterson (marbled white), P.Wareham Gold particularly gold in autumn and winter, larger varieties P.Eugenioides variegata (silver cream edged) and P.Purpureum (purple). FROM £6.99
8. Phormium (New Zealand Flax) – Excellent structural plants with evergreen sword like leaves in a wide variety of colours. Good varieties include:- P.Yellow Wave (yellow and green), P.Jester (red green edged), P.Pink Stripe (bronze pink edged), P.Platts Black (dark almost black). FROM £9.99
9. Cornus (Dogwood) – A thicket making shrub which are grown for beautiful winter stems. Good varieties include:- C.Midwinter Fire (orange and yellow), C.Alba Siberica variegata (red) and C.Stolonifera Flaviramea (yellow/green). FROM £5.99
10. Corylus Contorta (Corkscrew Hazel) – The curiously twisted branches of this shrub create a strong garden feature, the variety C.Red Majestic has the same twisted branches with red/purple leaves. FROM £14.99