January although the middle of winter is the new start to the gardening year. Although the days are cold and often dull with little sunshine there can still be lots of plants to brighten the borders with colourful stems, evergreen foliage and even some that actually flower at this time of year.
Let’s start with evergreen plants. The foliage of the variegated Hollies like Ilex Handsworth New Silver, I. Golden King and I. Pyramidalis Variegata, also have the red berries that provide the birds with winter food. Fatsia japonica has large, green impressive palmate leaves while F. Spiders Web and F. Camouflage are variegated. Yellow Privet, Ligustrum Aureum, has yellow leaves like sunshine in the depths of winter while Aucuba now takes centre stage with varieties such as A Crotonifolia showing very bright yellow splashes of colour on green leaves. Other interesting foliage plants include Leucathoe, Nandina and Hebes with colours ranging from copper to purple.
Silver Birches, have gleaming white bark on their upright tree trunks which contrast beautifully with Cornus Sibirica or C. Stolonifera. If Cornus stems are cut back to 20cms each Spring they will grow brightly coloured new stems which are either red or yellow, depending on variety, for the following winter or C. Midwinter Fire which is fiery orange bark. Just a few other examples of colourful winter stems include the snake skin like Acer Callipies and the shining mahogany stems of Prunus serrula Tibetica.
Climbing plants don’t just flower in summer. Some, like Winter Jasmine, have scented yellow, star like flowers shining out on bare green stems. There are also winter flowering Clematis like C. Cirrhosa Freckles and C. Wisley Cream. They are best grown on sheltered walls or fences with protection from the cold winter weather. Ivy is another brilliant colourful climbing evergreen, great for providing over wintering shelter for the wild birds. The brightly variegated leaves help lighten dark walls and corners with varieties like Hedera helix Goldheart, H. Glacier and H. Buttercup.
Mahonia Winter Sun, M. Charity and M Bealii have strong sprays of yellow flowers that are sweetly scented, a most welcome sight and fragrance at this time of year. The dark green Holly like leaves on the angular stems are very architectural too. Witch Hazel, Hamamelis, is another shrub with highly scented curious spidery flowers on bare stems. H. Pallida has pale yellow flowers while H. Jelena has rich orange and red. They can be grown in a container with lime free compost or in the border to grow to a larger, more impressive specimen.
The family of Viburnums include a large range off varieties from the evergreen V. Tinus, which has pretty clusters of pink and white flowers from September to March, to the scented pink flowers on bare stems of V. Bodnantense Dawn. Viburnum Davidii is dome shaped and has deep green leathery leaves and blue and black berries after flowering. Other berrying shrubs include Cotoneaster, Pyracantha, Symphorocarpus. All provide great places for birds and pollinating insects to over winter, breed and feed.
Smaller plants to try that are also suitable for containers include dwarf conifers like Juniper Blue Star, Chamacyparis Snow White, C. Rubicon with its maroon foliage and the upright form of yellow Yew, Taxus Standishii. Compliment your Conifers in a border or container with winter flowering heathers like Erica carnea Darleyensis, pink, E. White Perfection, white and the yellow foliage variety Erica Foxhollow.
Skimmia japonica Rubella has been a favourite leading up to Christmas this year. It has festively shiny compact green leaves and red berry like bud clusters that eventually open in March to sweetly scented white flowers. Grow it in a pot or border in shade using an ericaceous compost underplanted with white Crocus or Puschkinias. Skimmias have male and female varieties so plant both and the female will be covered in brilliant red berries. S.Rubella is a male variety while a good female form is S. Reevsiana. Plant the low growing red berried Gaultheria Procumbens around Skimmia particularly in containers for a good effect.
A great hardy evergreen shrub is Sarcococca, the Christmas Box. It has shiny green leaves all year, is compact and great in shady spots. The small starry green white flowers will fill the January air with a rich scent of honey. S. Confusa or S. Purple Stem planted in a pot by your window or door lets the fragrance travel through the house.
Last but not least don’t forget the little bulbs. Snowdrops, Winter Aconites, Scillas, Chinodoxas, Puschkinias and hardy Cyclamen Coum. These can all be grown in pots, troughs or be allowed to naturalise under trees and shrubs. They are best planted at this time of year when already in full growth.
January although the middle of winter is the new start to the gardening year. Although the days are cold and often dull with little sunshine there can still be lots of plants to brighten the borders with colourful stems, evergreen foliage and even some that actually flower at this time of year.
Evergreen trees like Fir and Pine were decorated outside or on the threshold of a home with fruit and sweetmeats. They were thought to ward away evil spirits who collected the offerings and went away. I think it was actually the birds enjoying this winter treat.
Roses are the nations favourite flower and have captivated human hearts for centuries serving as symbols of passion, beauty, and love. The genus has over 150 species including shrubs, perennials and climbers that were originally cultivated in North America, Europe, North Africa and Asia.
