December Gardening Tips 2025

As we head into December thoughts turn to the year passed and the one to come. It has certainly been a good gardening year with a wonderful spring and a mild autumn giving the opportunity for some great autumn gardening. Ok, so I know it was a bit hot and dry in the middle, but nevertheless our gardens have a wonderful capacity to recover.  An now, though I may be totally unprepared for the festive season on the domestic front, I can enjoy thinking about the scent and beauty available to enjoy indoors this month, courtesy of the plant kingdom

Real Christmas trees are wonderful!  They have the individuality of all living things.  They bring a lovely aroma to a room and real depth of colour and movement. The Nordman Fir is arguably the most popular variety – and for good reason. It has dark green glossy needles, a dense bushy shape and excellent needle retention. 

There is always a degree of needle drop with real trees because they are used to cool conditions and do not take too well to central heating.  Buying a reduced needle drop variety will help, so will looking after your tree properly.  When you buy a cut tree saw the end off at the base and place the tree in a bucket of water in the garden.  A containerised tree should also be watered well and kept outside until you need it.  Once inside keep the tree watered, if its container or tree stand allows it.  Treat it as you would a vase of flowers.  This way your tree will see in the new year in much the same glory as it did Christmas Eve.

The onset of dark winter evenings need not be cheerless.  If the weather becomes too inclement for all but the most committed of gardeners to venture outside consider some houseplants to cheer the place up.  Here are some of our favourites.

Poinsettias have come a long way.  Originally from South America they were named after the United States Ambassador to Mexico in the 1830’s.  Joel R. Poinsett.  Since then a lot of breeding has taken place and these days Poinsettias come in all sorts of colours, from the traditional Christmas red through various shades of pink to cream.  Some even have variegated “Flowers”.  The flowers are really bracts, or modified leaves.  The true flowers are very small and yellow in the centre of the bracts. Our Poinsettias are UK grown and sourced very locally. We also grow some on our own nurseries.

Like many of us, Poinsettias hate draughts and being cold. Therefore avoid plants that are sold from the pavement or in draughty areas.  Similarly make sure that the plant is properly wrapped when you buy and take it into the house as soon as possible.  Poinsettias enjoy a bright location and a minimum temperature of 55° – 60°F, this is quite warm by houseplant standards.  Water well but wait until the compost dries out a little before watering again.  Do not let the leaves wilt.

To make the bracts turn red nurseries have to subject Poinsettias to a strict regime of light control.  It is possible to do this at home to encourage the Poinsettia to produce red bracts again next Christmas but it is a fairly tricky process.  The plant needs to be kept in total darkness for 14 hours each day from about the end of September for 8 weeks.  After that treat the plant in the usual way.

Jasmine polyanthum is one of my favourites. It has delicate pink buds which open into white flowers.  These are complimented by dainty dark green leaves and a fragrance as delicate as the flowers.  Jasmine is usually sold as a houseplant grown over a wire hoop.  Jasmine is a climber and you can remove the hoop later and train the plant up a trellis in a conservatory.  Jasmine is quite vigorous and will ultimately reach 10 ft. unless it is cut back after flowering, which is perfectly possible.  Jasmine needs a minimum temperature of 45°  Fahrenheit in winter.  It enjoys bright light.  Once it has flowered you will probably find that the Jasmine reverts to its natural annual flowering time in spring.

Stephanotis has similar dainty flowers to Jasmine and is known as the Madagascar Jasmine.  However the flowers are altogether more waxy in texture and the leaves are broader and also waxy.  The blooms are laden with heady scent.  Stephanotis is one of my real favourites.  Again it is a climber and sold on a wire hoop.  It dislikes violent swings in temperature and needs to be kept at 55° fahrenheit in winter. 

Indoor Azaleas produce abundant flowers and enjoy a cool and bright position.  The compost needs to be kept damp.  Deadhead as the flowers fade.  Like Rhododendrons and Camellias, Azaleas hate lime.  Feeding regularly with an ericaceous feed during flowering will help to keep indoor Azaleas in good condition. Azaleas are much easier than Poinsettias to keep year after year.  Indoor Azaleas are not frost hardy but can be put in a shady spot in the garden once frosts are over.  In Autumn bring the plant back inside to flower once more.