December
Monthly Notes on growing flowers, seasonal opinions on soil prep, decoration and wintering.
Let’s not beat around the deciduous bush, we are in deeply uncomfortable times. Green spaces and our own gardens are a refuge of safety, a privilege and an opportunity to do some good, if only for ourselves. I am a firm believer in small acts and the ripple effects those can have across families, communities and maybe more.
There are 450,000 ha of garden across the UK and as the brilliant Fergus Garett at Great Dixter has discovered through professional biodiversity surveys, intensely gardened spaces are the richest for diverse habitats. There birds, bees, butterflies, amphibians, insects, lichens, mosses and much more are thriving in our gardens. I hope this brings you much hope and optimism in the power of our own efforts right outside our doorstep.
In December, I notice the scents and contrast in foliage from evergreen shrubs more than other times. Winter blossom on Viburnum Tinus and v.bonantense, glossy evergreens of fatsia, holly or arbutus and swelling buds tell of the annual cycle in the garden. Scented mahonias grown in the corner of a car park that I pass often, the fragrance wafts some distance and worth a detour for.
Before the winter really sets in, get planting done now, especially for bare root shrubs, trees and roses. A true task of hope and trust is planting bulbs, hiding them into the soil, nothing to show for your time but crossing fingers and waiting until shoots emerge. It’s a metaphor for many an effort isn’t it? I’m squeezing tulips into pots and beds, and garlic (traditionally planted on the shorted day, harvested on the longest) under my roses, great bedfellows, blackspot has markedly reduced since I have been doing so.
Few really welcome the dark days but even in an era of disconnect, where screens rule, the human will to connect with the natural world runs strong especially at Christmas. Bringing greenery into the home and hanging evergreen wreaths on our doors has been a tradition that can be traced back to the Romans, symbolising the cyclical nature of year, light at the darkest time. Dried flowers and ‘dead branches’ are very much vogue, but this year, I feel the need to decorate with greenery and scent with generosity, richness and optimism.
I have my eye on some pine branches, eucalyptus and conifer for a rich grey and green combination and highly scented at that. The bonus is that they last for ages before they dull down. I’ve saved honesty paper pods on sun bleached stems for a little sparkle. I’m going to get some English mistletoe (look them up for postal delivery) because the berries look like pearls in amongst greenery and why not more kisses!
On tables and fireplaces, I’m stacking pots of emerging bulb shoots, pushing through moss and birch twigs for white flowers for months. Still plenty of time to pot your own narcissus paper whites, snowdrops, hyacinths and iris reticulata. Do some for tables outside and presents too. Pots of bulbs are so joyful. I also cut a few stems off one of my favourite shrubs, Lonicera fragrantissima. Their flowers are tiny and any other time of the year they would be lost but pollinators need a little extra help in the winter so these diminutive blooms release heady scents. Just a branch or two is all you need by your bedside for an ultimate luxurious natural room fragrance. A final flourish, I am into gold leaf and I’m gluing with egg white onto walnuts and cones or anything that stays still long enough for some sparkle.
DECEMBER FLOWER GROWING TASKS
Blackened Dahlias.
Now that the frost must have blackened all our Dahlias (at last), it is time to lift them or turn a bucket of compost over the top to protect them over the winter. More about helping you decide what to do with yours here.
Planting Tulips
I no longer plant tulips to cut anymore, and certainly not to sell. The bulbs and planting cost far more that it is possible to recoup let alone profit from. I’m also quite bothered by the resource it takes to grow a bulb for a single cut flower. Instead I plant for me, in the long border to flower for as long as possible, or in pots and troughs. Wait to plant until after a couple of good ground frosts. They are the ultimate luxury and I plant mindful of this.
Planting Bare root and root balled trees, shrubs and roses.
This is my top recommendation this month - order shrubs! What a lovely present they’d make too. Ordered now, they can be ‘heeled’ in the soil, or sand (yes your Childs sandbox!) until you are ready to plant them (by March). I listed my 'Delightful Dozen Shrubs for the 12 Days of Christmas' here.
Planning
(The) seed catalogues make us plan on a smaller scale. ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to grow such-and-such again next year?’ we think. And this is quickly followed by , ‘Where shall we plant it, and what will go well with it?’ Planning has many aspects and ramifications.
Cuttings, A Year in the Garden with Christopher Lloyd.
If you have time this month, think about your plans for next year. I suspect none of us will manage it, so instead do mine in January. You can join me on my ‘online winter planning course’ then too. Book before 13th and the handbook and all the planning sheets and resources can be a lovely gift ahead of the live zooms.
Sort out your seeds
I love a good sort out. See what seeds I have still for next year and throwing away dried out or damp packets. When I say throw away, I mean throw them in the borders and see what comes up. Seed always does better when fresh but there might still be some viable.
Collecting leaves
From lawns and over winter flowering plants. Add to the compost heap or if you are lucky enough to have lots, make some leaf mould in a wire cage or plastic bags. This is the gold that I love to use to make my own potting compost.
Raise potted plants
Anything that I haven’t managed to plant yet is lifted off the ground to make sure it doesn’t get water logged.
Prune Climbing Roses
Take older stems back to 2/3rds their length and tie in long stems laterally. (Also cutting back, lightly, roses in the beds too).
Plant up last of bulbs to force indoors
To plan for this February scene below….
China tea, the scent of hyacinths, wood fires and bowls of violets – that is my mental picture of an agreeable February afternoon.
Miniature Iris, hyacinths, narcissus and even mascara would be lovely on a side board or table.
Harvesting
This month, the focus is well and truly on decorating the home in abundance rather than arranging in vases. For inspiration on what to use and ideas to do that, have a look at 'Decorating at Christmas; and how to do so when you don't have stately grounds to gather from’.
Shrubs - Ivy, pine, conifer, holly, larch, silver birch, hawthorn berries, rose hips, dogwood, eucalyptus, sage, rosemary, sarcoccoca,
Perennials - First Hellebores ‘winter bells’, cyclamen, and I am still cutting chrysanthemums from the tunnel. Last few weeks of those but they have been brilliant this year.
Dried - Honesty paper pods are my favourite with grasses (especially miscanthus and panicum ‘frosted explosion’), clematis ‘old man’s beard’ and teasels plus anything else you’ve managed to save.
Want to join me on growing cut flowers each week? Confused about where to begin and need help on deciding what, when and how? Come along for the ride, every Tuesday direct into your inbox. Each month there is a floral recipe with combinations and methods for growing, cutting and conditioning for you gather the same. With a rich library of support and resource which you’ll have full access to with a 14 day free trial. It’s all about the journey, letting go of outcome and enjoying the results of the harvest. Much more than the sum of its parts.
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If you live more locally to Saffron Walden, Cambridge or Essex, join me on my ‘Something for the Weekend’ newsletters on Saturdays with in person courses and classes, 1.2.1’s, ‘Do it yourself’ buckets and collect your wedding flowers.
Or take my ‘Winter Online Planning Course’ this January with me, wherever you live.
Hit reply and tell me how you are doing. I love to hear from you. And if you fancy a chat, let’s make some time for it.
