In January, continue to plan for this year’s improvements. Perhaps consider changing the shape of the lawn and adding another border.
When weather permits, continue to clear paths of moss and leaves.
Tuck all pots close together in a sheltered spot when the weather gets really cold.
- Don’t let outdoor containers & pots that are under cover dry out.
- Don’t forget to dead-head the flowers in your outside pots. Remove the finished flowers of the pansies, violas and cyclamen, also removing leaves with mildew.
- Replace any frosted or badly affected plants next month.
- Look out for summer flowering bulbs in the garden centres. They create a blaze of colour in the summer. Gladioli, begonias, lilies and irises, are a good starter and easy to grow.
Plant of the month – Hellebore
Hellebores are very easy to grow; they tolerate dry shade and will survive under tree canopies, where they will gradually naturalise and self seed.
They have dark green shiny leaves, with bell shaped flowers which bow their heads. The flowers can be white, cream, pink, purple or green and sometimes spotted, and have creamy-yellow stamens.
Hellebores are beautiful, they are one of my favourite plants, and are valued by many gardeners, as they flower in the winter and early spring giving some colour early in the year.
They are evergreen perennials, frost hardy, and will brighten up any shrub border or woodland garden, preferring neutral to alkaline soil, but will tolerate fertile, moist humus-rich soils. Remove faded or damaged foliage as the flowers appear.
Hellebores are often called the “Christmas rose”, but are not related to the rose family. Look out for them when you are next in the garden centre.
Happy gardening everyone!
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