Happy New Gardening Year
The season.
The autumn and early winter has been
remarkably mild and dry. Autumn colour that started by looking
dissappointing turned out to be a kaleidoscopic display. Many
people perhaps think that the recent rain has replenished the soil,
but this week I was digging out a dead plum tree in my own garden
and below 30cm the ground was hard and dry!
As the old year gradually fades away and 2012 begins to appear
over the horizon Mother Nature gives us a little glimpse of spring.
On the college campus look underneath the old weeping ash near the
juicing plant and be prepared for a pleasant surprise.
Plants looking good.
Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus
Hiemalis Group is out in flower. Always starting to flower before
Christmas this precocious snowdrop gives us hope as the shortest
day comes and we move into a new gardening year. This hardy plant
flowers often before the worst of the winter weather, but always
happily survives to produce its leaves along with its more sensible
relatives in early spring.
My tulips were planted in mid November and nothing is yet to be
seen. This is good news as this means there is less chance of the
weather and slugs combining their activities to foil my plans for a
display in spring.
Alongside the patch reserved for the tulips there lies a
particularly untidy clump of the Algerian Iris (Iris unguicularis).
No buds or flowers were visible whilst planting the tulips, but
casual inspection last weekend revealed the first flowers. Why does
this plant choose to produce these large delicate looking flowers
beginning in the depth of winter?
Back at the college, Winter Sweet (Chimonanthus praecox
‘Grandiflorus’) scents the air. Not visibly exciting this Chinaman
announces its flowering with the most beautiful and strong scent
carrying across the Quad. Such a shame that this plant is at
its best whilst college life is very quiet! This plant is not very
common and I always associate with old gardens or experienced
gardeners, a case in point being the Cotswold garden of that
famous, but now sadly deceased garden designer Rosemary Very.
Gardening.
This Christmas / New Year break sees me
hard at work in the garden. Would I admit to anything else?
Boxing Day sees the start of the Lily repotting season. Can you
imagine the scene? There I am, dressed for the part, Radio Four
softly playing and active in the green house. Seasonal bliss! Mind
you it’s a lot warmer this year than last and not having to thaw
out the compost prior to use is a definite improvement!
Now is the time to repot any pot grown lilies you may have.
Currently they should be dry under cold glass or even in the
garage. Repotting now gives you the opportunity to look at the
condition of the bulbs, check for the presence of the dreaded vine
weevil larvae and place the bulbs into new compost complete with a
fresh charge of nutrients for the coming season. Keep the bulbs on
the dry side until growth commences in early spring.
My I feel virtuous! Nearly all the fallen leaves have been
picked up and placed in punctured polythene bags. This I will leave
for at least a full year to allow them to decay into that wonderful
stuff gardeners call leaf mould. Call me old fashioned if you like,
but yes I do like to see the garden “tidy” in the winter.
The task had been before me for months, but perhaps the extra
calories consumed over the Christmas festivities gave the necessary
energy and impetus to start removing the old plum tree. The head
had been cut off by the previous owner, six years before or more,
but the trunk and roots still awaited extraction.
After much grunting, sweating and numerous cups of tea the task
was done. Now I look at the cleared length of border replete with
added garden compost. I wonder would a Hamamelis or Magnolia be
best place there? Now is a very good time to undertake tasks such
as these. Nature is moving only very slowly and time is on the
gardeners side to catch up, take up this rare chance to make
real progress.
Well I feel I must close now. Other tasks and events are
happening in our gardens, but my daughter, who is much better
versed in things IT, has said. “Not too long or else people will
not read it” Perish the thought!
Was it too long or too short, were important points missed out?
Please let me know your thoughts below!
A very happy gardening New Year to you all.
Written by Duncan Coombs
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