December Gardening Tips 2024

December is definitely the time of year to bring some of the outside in to enjoy indoors.

A wreath or garland, of deep green leaved and vibrant berried holly and white tinged Ivy, conjures up images of Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. A bunch of mistletoe takes us back even further traveling through time to the Middle Ages and even Roman times before that.  Customarily hung over a doorway to protect the household, the plant became associated with peace and love, which may be why the custom of kissing under the mistletoe evolved.

Of course, the ultimate festive greenery is a real Christmas tree. A real tree offers scent and movement. Our cut Christmas trees are grown in the UK because they are good quality and don’t have to travel as far as trees from the continent. Grown as a crop, more trees are consistently being planted on land which is usually unsuitable for other forms of farming or horticulture so they are a sustainable crop and support the UK’s rural economy. I have seen this year’s crop coming into our centres and I think they are looking very good, probably helped by the damp weather this year. When you get your real tree home, always cut a piece off the stem before immersing the bottom of the stem in a bucket of water.  Do keep your tree cool outside until you are ready to bring it inside to decorate. Use a tree stand that holds water and keep your tree watered, as you would a vase of flowers. Place it away from a radiator or other heat source to prolong needle retention.

I love scented plants inside or out, which is why at Christmas I invariably buy baskets planted with bulbs on the point of flowering for my own home and to give as presents. I just love the scent of hyacinths in a room, giving that promise of spring. The bulbs can be planted out in the garden when they have finished flowering to enjoy again year after year. Jasmin and Stephanotis are also both highly fragranced houseplants and carry pretty white flowers. For a blast of colour, Azaleas and Cyclamen prefer a cooler spot in the home.

Poinsettias are the customary Christmas choice. Available not just with traditional vibrant red bracts but also in an increasing range of pinks and creams. Poinsettias are tender and love a warm space. They hate draughts, so always make sure they are well wrapped up leaving the shop and never leave them locked up in a cold car. As you would expect, ours are locally grown and have not travelled long hours in lorries from Europe. For a sophisticated look, statement foliage houseplants will give you colour, texture and movement for a long time to come and represent great value. Stylish terrariums, or bottle gardens planted with greenery, have become increasingly popular in recent times. With their own microclimate, you can create that Kew atmosphere in miniature. They make a really lovely gift.

Of course there are still flowers to be enjoyed in the garden even in the depths of winter. Christmas Roses (Hellebores) flower their socks off outside, from winter to early spring. Easy to maintain, they thrive in a fertile, well-drained soil, in a semi-sun or semi-shade position, reaching a height and spread of about 50cm. Just deadhead any faded flowers.

It isn’t just people who deserve a treat this time of year. Our feathered friends are well worth cosseting throughout the winter, with a good supply of quality bird food, fat balls and a supply of clean fresh water. I always feel repaid many times over by the sight of beautiful birds in the garden from tiny blue tits and festive robins to more haughty woodpeckers. Bird feeders, bird tables and bird houses make a great gift idea too.