Gardening Matters 59Gardening Matters

If I say ‘winter garden’ what do you imagine? A stately home? Evergreen shrubs? Topiary maybe? It dawned on me a few years ago when I was out walking the dog on a frosty morning that winter gardens are really all about the light. From late If I say autumn through the winter there is a pink-gold low slanting light in the morning do you imagine? A stately and afternoon which makes frost and raindrops sparkle, home? Evergreen shrubs? casts interesting shadows and makes everything look magical. Topiary maybe? as one of the sculptural eryngiums (sea holly), It dawned on me a few years Watch your garden throughout the day from the rooms you where you see it best. Watch where and when the sunlight falls and plan salvias or sedums. All look beautiful in the summer and autumn but gain a second lease of life when covered with frosted cobwebs. ago when I was out walking the dog on a frosty morning that winter gardens are really accordingly. Grasses look beautiful when they are covered in frost and backlit. The red or yellow winter stems of Cornus (or dogwood) however seem to glow when winter sunshine illuminates them directly. Plants like these will make you want to get out in your garden even in winter, so add a little scent with a winter jasmine or a sarcococca confusa (Christmas box) which has tiny white highly scented flowers. These late flowering Most suburban houses have smaller gardens, plants provide a source of nectar for early all about the light. From late autumn through the winter easily visible from the house so it’s important to choose plants which look good in more than one season. As well as shrubs with good stem colour, look pollinators. I no longer tidy my flower beds. I leave piles of fallen leaves and debris in beds to provide shelter for wildlife. The leaves to rot down in there is a pinkfor smaller trees with pretty bark. There are plenty of small Japanese Maples which can be the end which is good for the soil too. But I do spend time neatening the edge of the lawn and grown in tubs. If you have a little more space a sharpening the edges of my borders. It’s slanting light in the morning silver birch can look stunning, or even my favourite, the paper-bark maple, Acer griseum, amazing how much smarter my garden looks with minimal effort. and afternoon which makes which is a slow-growing small tree, pretty all year round with crimson leaves in the autumn then a characteristic chestnut bark which peels I wish you a Happy New Year and happy gardening. frost and raindrops sparkle, naturally to reveal bright orange red bark underneath. Rachael Leverton casts interesting shadows and Look for plants with architectural shapes such makes everything look 59To advertise call Monica on 07979 808991 Or email monica@villagematters.co.uk magical.

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Solution to January Sudoku S B S B P W E L A S T I C U S A G E T D U O N C A F A M E D T I G H T E N R O T L S E M U P H A S E O U T E T E G R T A

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Solution to January Quick Crossword