Winter jobs

Much tidying in the tunnels this month has produced packets of discarded seed so I have now sown them all and optimistically hope some at least will be viable and productive. Our lupins will be available in spring next year with which we have won gold medals at Chelsea. I love winter flowering clematis – the cirrhosa types like Freckles and Guernsey Cream and of course Clematis armandii ‘Appleblossom’ and Clematis armandii ‘Snowdrift’ are perfect clematis for flowers in late winter, evergreen too. Winter Beauty is still my favourite. 

Eryngiums are great for vivid splashes of blue in your garden such as Big Blue. Spring flowering Pulmonaria are also ready to plant out and make great groundcover. 

We have lots of new flowering grasses always useful for architectural impact and Astrantias such as Florence. Dierama also do well if planted now and given plenty of time to establish.

Summer flowering clematis can be planted now along with Angelica gigas an interesting plant for late summer flower

We have plenty of flowering perennials available to fill those awkward spaces including our famous Lupins

Horticultural Hygiene

Plants We need to keep things clean and weeded more – such a lot of pests and diseases can be kept at bay by simple horticultural cleanliness.

Repotting

Many of the plants need repotting and fresh compost to improve their chances of flowering well next year. Some hardwood cuttings are also possible of Buddleja, Lonicera and Cissus. Longwinded but worth it. 

Enjoying the great outdoors

Despite the chilly temperatures I have enjoyed the peace and solitude of being in the polytunnels. Even on the bleakest days I am conscious of the birds singing in the willows.  I still get a thrill from seeing seeds germinate and seedlings grow into young plants.

Compost trials

I have been trying some green manures for my lupins. I am optimistic this will also be beneficial for  clematis, the dieramas and thalictrum.

It seems sieving the compost is even good for seeds.

It is a lot of work!

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with all the jobs to do but I am getting there and find I have not lost  my love of plants. This, at aged 61 is a great comfort. Even now the flowers of Schizostylis Major are still going strong.

Agapanthus

Agapanthus Big Blue is still doing well and has plenty of chunky roots. I find they quite enjoy being pot bound!

The gauras such as Belleza has unusual cerise flowers which are still blooming now

Sculptural plants

Stipa gigantea or ponytails will continue well into the winter and look marvellous if frosted. All grasses come into their own in winter even when the flowers have turned beige. 

Christmas wreaths

Everyone seems to be offering courses in wreath making.. I have had a go at a few myself and as we have so much willow here perhaps it might be something to offer next year.

Clematis flowering now

All the winter clematis are now in bud or flowering – clematis . Winter Beauty  now has waxy white bell-shaped flowers either out or in bud.

Wishing you all a lovely Christmas

Once the year is out the long winter will be upon us but hopefully your seed catalogues will fill you with optimism and my seedling lupins will throw up some new colours.

Gardening tips. Cover any greenhouse solonoids with agrifleece to protect from frost.

Take hardwood cuttings and sow some annuals directly into the soil.

Make some leaf compost with all those fallen leaves.

When sowing seed – try covering the finished trays with holly leaves as the mice don’t like the prickles!

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