December gardening jobs and selecting plants that POP in winter

By Chris of Orchard Nurseries

As we pass from autumn into winter this month, it generally gets colder and wetter. Although there’s not too much to do in the garden, some of the jobs I suggested last month can still be done in December, with a bit more urgency! 

Protecting less hardy perennials and shrubs with fleece, straw, or bracken, or simply drawing soil up and over the base of plants, will help them to survive the winter. Move any semi-hardy plants in containers into the greenhouse or sheltered parts of your garden, ideally up against south or west-facing house walls.

Choose your days to work in your garden wisely, as it is best not to walk on the soil if it has been wet. You can compact the soil and make it drain less easily – this is especially important with heavier soils, and also applies to your lawns. Walking on frosted or frozen grass can damage the turf, so let it thaw before walking on it, if you can.

If you have roses, winter pruning can begin, although any time from December to February is okay. Give your greenhouse a good clean and wash the glass, so it will be ready for next year. Leaf through seed and plant catalogues, or have a look online to see what’s new and make some lists of what you would like to grow in the coming new year.

If you are out and about, take some pictures of any plants that are flowering or of interest, so you can think about buying some to add to your garden. There are many winter interest plants out there,  whether it’s interest from flowers, fruit or berries, foliage, stem or bark colour. Some good ones for December include:

Hollies and Ivies –Lots of varieties of both, with foliage and berries being of particular winter interest. 

Mahonias – Sprays or upright or drooping, yellow, scented flowers.

Viburnum bodnantense and farreri – Both with scented pink flowers. 

Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ –  An evergreen with long, yellowy catkins that look like a waterfall. 

Helleborus niger / Christmas rose – Herbaceous perennial with white flowers. 

Nandinia domestica ‘Firepower’ and other varieties – With intense, red-coloured foliage.

Erica darleyensis or carnea varieties – With shades of pink and white carpets of flowers.

Cornus alba ‘Siberica’ or Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ – Retains a wonderful stem colour throughout winter. 

Callicarpa bodinieri var giraldii ‘Profusion’ – With masses of small, bright purple berries.

Enjoy the winter garden – there are more plants of interest than you might think! Have a very Merry Christmas and an exciting New Year, and a great growing season to all the gardeners out there!

Visit www.orchardnurseries-york.co.uk to get in touch with Orchard Nurseries.