Gardening

Plants&Gardens

Season of mists

There’s plenty of reasons to enjoy time in the garden during the winter months, not least the earthy scents and muted light. Lis Morris, lecturer in Horticulture and Sustainable Technologies at University Centre Reaseheath in Cheshire, suggests some tasks to keep you warm! TOP TIP Winter may herald a dormant period for plants, but with daylight hours and good weather at a premium, there’s no • Sow sweet peas in containers Sow pots of herb seeds on a bright windowsill let-up for the gardeners among us! November is a great time for taking stock, tidying up, protecting plants and planning ahead. And while you’re out and about making the most of the early winter In the vegetable patch: • Harvest remaining root indoors. Try British basil, dill, chives and parsley. months, make sure our feathered friends have a festive season too! vegetables and check stored crops, removing any that show signs of deterioration. • Net brassicas against hungry pigeons. • Apply well-rotted manure or garden compost to your empty vegetable beds. • Plant out garlic bulbs and winter hardy spring onions, kale and spinach. • Plant new or prune existing soft fruit such as raspberries and blackberries. Windowboxes and pots can add much-needed colour • Prepare and plant up a perennial bed for In the garden • Make up colourful winter containers by mixing perennials such as heathers, grasses TOP TIP Gather fallen leaves from ponds and lawns – but rhubarb and asparagus. Christmas cheer for garden birds: hellebores, dwarf evergreens and trailing ivy leave some on • Scrub bird tables, feeders with winter flowering annuals like pansies, the beds for and water bowls thoroughly violas and primulas. garden visitors. using a non-toxic, approved • Prune and clear dead foliage from perennial disinfectant, refill containers plants, weed and mulch. and stock up on bird food • Lift containers onto pot feet to prevent waterlogging. supplies. • Plant spring bulbs and tulips to at least twice the depth of the • Enjoy a fun family activity bulb, incorporating plenty of grit for good drainage. by decorating a Christmas • Prune back and tie in roses to prevent wind damage. It’s also tree for your garden birds! a great time to plant new Choose a tree or shrub that specimens which will have the is easily seen from a window. winter to make a good root Suspend sunflower heads, suet balls and system. strings of sliced windfall fruit, in-shell peanuts or raisins along • Plant a new hedge using bare the branches using festive or natural string and see who gets there root native varieties which will first! Decorate the tree at least two weeks before the Christmas benefit wildlife. holidays to give birds the chance to find their festive feast, then • Empty and clean out sheds and keep topping up. greenhouses. • Protect tender plants from frost For information on Reaseheath’s horticulture courses see with fleece or bring inside. Wrap up wel reaseheath.ac.uk/horticulture

Plan your herb garden TOP TIP Decorate a tree for your garden birds with their favourite treats – see below left for ideas! They deserve treats too

Winter wonders at Walcot

For the first time ever, the owners of Walcot Hall in Shropshire have decided to open their gardens late into the year, giving visitors the chance to enjoy the stunning landscapes throughout the winter season

The gardens at Walcot Hall in Shropshire cover over 30 acres, including one of the finest arboretums in Britain with a rich profusion of tree, shrub and herbaceous plantings. Different trees are forever being added and amongst the notable specimens is a huge Douglas fir, planted by Lord Powis in 1842 that was once the largest tree of its kind in Britain. Walcot Hall has some of the most outstanding gardens and views in the country, and the gardens and arboretum “A huge Douglas normally close to visitors at the end of fir, once summer. This year they’ll be open until the largest the end of November, every day except Saturdays, from 12pm to 5pm. There is an of its kind” entry charge of £3 per adult and details can be found in the car park at the main entrance to Walcot Hall.

A family affair

The hall itself is owned and managed by Robin and Lucinda Parish, who live there with their four children. Lucinda said: “Robin’s parents bought the house in 1957. He grew up here with his sisters and so has seen a steady change over the years. His parents developed various parts of the estate, converting existing buildings into living accommodation. Robin started the holiday flats in the early 1980s”

Over the past 20 years the couple have continued this legacy, restoring the ballroom and building the estate into an exquisite wedding venue that can accommodate up to 110 guests, with 15 selfcatering holiday cottages on site, from the historic main house to the refurbished stable block; an old reconstructed tin chapel in the arboretum to an old wheelright’s shop.

Lucinda added: “We’ve done it little by little, which I think makes it particularly unique. Robin is an avid collector and sale-room addict, and he loves to be involved in furnishing the accommodation. Nothing is ever going to be shiny and new, which doesn’t suit everyone’s tastes, but we love it. Having people stay here justifies all the work we’ve put in over the years.”

Far-reaching views to the house

Christmas at Walcot

The hall is hosting a Christmas Market on 3rd December, bringing together some of the finest artisan makers, gifts decorations and produce from across the county, plus season refreshments. This lovely Christmassy day also offers a chance to meet Father Christmas at Walcot’s grotto. 11am-4pm, free entry.

WATER, WATER…

Many of us struggle with damp soil in this part of the country, so we’ve looked at a few fi rm favourites in the garden that actually thrive in a moist environment

Hydrangea

As the ‘hydra’ in their name suggests, these plants thrive with plenty of watering or rainy conditions. They display good autumn colour and the large heads can make excellent blooms for drying too. Shelter from hot summer sun and from cold winds.

Hosta

Hosta are clump-forming, with simple, ovate or lance-shaped leaves, often attractively coloured or variegated, and nodding funnel or bell-shaped flowers in early summer. Their love of a damp dark corner can make them popular with slugs and snails!

Liquidambar

Liquidambar are deciduous trees grown for their maple-like leaves which, take on brilliant autumn colour. They thrive in lime-free, moist but welldrained soil, and can be grown in woodland or as a specimen tree. Full sun shows them at their best.

Astilbe

A pretty perennial that has flowers reminiscent of a feather duster! A good choice for the very wettest sites in your garden, where it will produce its proud flower spikes in pink, white or dark red in late spring.

Candelabra primula

With varieties in a multitude of bright colours, these are some of the most exciting primulas you can grow in the garden. They flower in late spring and self-seed freely, so an abundant display can be made for little cost.