English holly, Ilex aquifolium.
The Garden Website for December
Christmas Craft: Christmas Elf
Poinsettias - Christmas Decor - Christmas Tree Selection Guide
December Introduction - December Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - December Garden Chores
Cool Winter Plants - Fragrant Winter Plants - Lil' Hummers
December Garden Stars - December Arrangement - Plant Police: Viburnum Leaf Beetle
Need Help? - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Aucuba, Japanese Spotted Laurel
Poinsettias - Christmas Decor - Christmas Tree Selection Guide
December Introduction - December Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - December Garden Chores
Cool Winter Plants - Fragrant Winter Plants - Lil' Hummers
December Garden Stars - December Arrangement - Plant Police: Viburnum Leaf Beetle
Need Help? - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Aucuba, Japanese Spotted Laurel
A snow covered garry oak, Quercus garryana. A celebrated and protected indigenous tree of the Pacific Northwest.
December Intro
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
Getting the house all dolled up for Christmas is something I love to do. I search the garden for interesting flora that will transform our home into a winter wonderland – minus the ice and snow. Sharing it with friends and family makes it all the more special, but I doubt if that will happen this year with a pandemic putting a stop to socializing. I know I’m not alone in my disappointment, but I will rally and decorate nonetheless. Okay, so maybe I won’t go all out like I usually do, but some Christmas finery will certainly not go amiss. It’s good for the soul if nothing else. It seems that the pandemic has turned the focus of this festive season from the materialistic to the emotional need to be with people we care about. We can buy presents online, but giving them to the recipient might be a bit tricky. However, although pressies are nice, I’m sure going to miss those Christmas hugs. As colourful lights go up in the neighbourhood, I’m reminded that everyone is in the same boat, but rallying nonetheless. Children will still be waiting for Santa Claus (Father Christmas), after all, he is immune to covid, thank goodness. Wishing you a healthy, safe and happy December. Merry Christmas! Amanda 
A picture that was once my Mother's has become a Christmas vignette with help from a few winter themed ornaments.
Poinsettia Selection & Care
Poinsettias are fabled colourful shrubs native to Central America and Mexico.
To the Aztecs, the poinsettia was a symbol of purity, but it was the Mexican legend from the 16th century that has tied this Mexican wildflower to Christmas. The fable begins with a young Mexican girl that was too poor to purchase a gift to celebrate the birth of Christ. Inspired by an angel, the young girl gathered weeds and placed them at the church altar. The weeds magically transformed into brilliant red poinsettias.
Poinsettias are so named after the United States ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, who brought them to America in 1825. Since then, they have become the symbol of holiday cheer that grace most dining room tables not just in North America, but around the world. To learn more about poinsettias, the different types and how to grow them, To learn more about poinsettias as a gift plant and also as a tropical shrub, click here. 
Select poinsettias that still bear the wee flowers in the centre of the colourful bracts.
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Amanda's Garden Blog
A kalanchoe donning some Christmas bling.
Check out my blog on my gardening experiments, trials. tribulations and excursions. Click on the items below to be directed to its page.
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December Garden Stars
Coral bark maple, Acer palmatum 'Sangokaku', deciduous tree, 20’-25’ x 15’-20’, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 8.
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Paperbark maple, Acer griseum, deciduous tree, zones 4-8, 20 to 30' x 15 to 25', sun to part shade, attractive peeling bark. Click on pic for more.
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Snowberry, Symphoricarpos albus, deciduous shrub, 3-6 ft tall & wide, pink summer blooms, white winter berries, sun. Zones 3 to 7.
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Emerald & Gold wintercreeper, Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald & Gold', broadleaf evergreen, 3' x 4', sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 8.
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Beautyberry, Callicarpa formosana, deciduous shrub, sun to part shade, 3 to 9 ft. Zones 8 to 10. Click on pic for more.
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Ilex aquifolium 'Argentea Marginata', variegated English holly, broadleaf evergreen, part to full sun, 15’ – 20’ x 8’ to 12’, need female for berries with male pollinator nearby. Zones 6 to 9.
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Sweet box, Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis, broad leaf evergreen. Grows to 2' x 4'. Fragrant white small blooms early spring. Part to full shade. Zones 6 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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Heavenly bamboo, Nandina domestica, broadleaf evergreen, not a bamboo, white June flowers, orange berries, red fall colour, sun to shade, 3-8’ x 2-4’. Zones 8 to 10. Potentially invasive in Midwestern USA.
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Himalayan white birch, Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, grows 30 to 40ft, 18x20ft wide. Deciduous tree, Zones 4 -7.
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Winterberry, Gaultheria procumbens, broadleaf evergreen groundcover, 6” x 1’, white bell blooms June to July edible red berries, part shade to shade. Zones 3 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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'Yuletide' winter camellia, Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide', broadleaf evergreen shrub, fragrant winter flowers, sun to part shade, 6’ to 14’ x 5’ to 7’. Zones 7 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Barberry, Berberis thunbergii, a thorny, deciduous shrub, 3 to 6' tall, 4 to 7' wide, yellow flowers in April to May, red berries in fall, full sun. Zone 4-8.
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Winter jasmine, Jasminium nudiflorum, deciduous vine, 10 to 15ft, sun to shade, Zones 6 to 10.
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Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, Corylus avellana 'Contorta'. Deciduous shrub, 8 to 10 ft tall and wide. Zone 4 to 8.
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Dwarf Alberta spruce, Picea glauca 'Conica', is a coniferous evergreen. Zones 2 to 8, 6 to 12 ft. tall, 4 to 5 ft wide.
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Arbutus, Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, broadleaf evergreen, 10’-20’ tall & wide, fragrant flowers & colourful fruit from Oct to Dec. Zones 7 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Winter heath, Erica carnea, broadleaf evergreen groundcover, 1 to 2', flowers Dec to April, sun to light shade. Zones 5 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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Cutleaf Japanese maple, Acer palmatum dissectum, deciduous tree, 6’-12’ x 9’-12’, insignificant flowers, sun, partial shade. Zones 5 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Getting Crafty with it!
Christmas Elf
An upturned tomato cage makes an easy and fun Christmas elf.
This silly little guy is made from common items found around the house and the garden. An upturned tomato cage, evergreen branches, knee high pantyhose, mittens, some wire, a styrofoam ball and a festive chapeau, are all that are needed. For instructions click here.
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Festive Planter
Use a planter full of soil to insert evergreen branches and colourful twigs.
Pompom shaped leek flowers combine with branches from black pine, douglas fir, stewartia, Scotch broom, rosemary and red twig dogwood.
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Seasonal Planter
Decorative Christmas planters are easy to make. Click on the picture for instructions.
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christmas Garland
Combine real and faux florals to create a long lasting garland. Click on the picture for instructions.
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Festive Swag
Branches from the garden tied with a ribbon are easy to make. Click on the picture for instructions.
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December PLANT COMBO
A monochromatic symphony in green plays with different textures and forms.
Ivy covered walls provide a lush backdrop for the evergreens in the foreground. A columnar dwarf cedar acts as a sentry to the front door, with a low broad skimmia at its feet. A low boxwood hedge contains the burgeoning plants along the border. Beside the cedar is vase shaped heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica). Luckily it is not a real bamboo so it will not colonize the area. Rhododendrons finish the border up to the next doorway, where the plant order is repeated. This is a shady and moist location, which all the plants are suited for. The plants are trimmed often to keep their growth in check. It's a formal, albeit pleasing and lush combination.
plant police
Viburnum leaf beetle damage on a David viburnum.
Tattered viburnum leaves that resemble lace more than foliage, are symptoms of viburnum leaf beetles (Pyrrhalta viburni). Both the adult beetle and their larvae feed on many types of viburnums. There are numerous methods of control that are effective without using toxic chemicals. To learn more about this prevalent viburnum pest click here.
Christmas Trees
With proper care, a healthy Christmas tree should last about five weeks without becoming a fire hazard. There are simple things to encourage longevity, including selecting the right tree. To learn more about Christmas tree shopping, selection and care, click here.
Christmas Cactus
If your Christmas cactus is not flowering, maybe it isn’t a Christmas cactus at all, or maybe it isn’t receiving the correct conditions to induce flowering. For find out how to take care of your Christmas cactus, click here. It’s winter, are you ready?
A princess/empress tree, Paulownia tomentosa, showing off her graceful snow covered form.
I love the look of fresh snow especially when it graces evergreen boughs and clings to the bones of leafless trees’ beautiful silhouettes. It’s a shame it crushes plants and breaks their branches. That’s really the only bad thing about it – when it comes to gardening that is. Yes, it’s cold and wet, but it doesn’t kill plants, in fact, snow is a great insulator. When branches bend under its weight, a broom becomes a handy tool to knock off the accumulated snow. Branches soon pop back up once relieved of their burden. Formal, geometric conifers are best wrapped with twine so they keep their shape.
If you haven’t protected tender plants already, lay evergreen branches or fall foliage overtop of them. Wrap upright plants with layers of burlap, old sheets and other breathable fabric. Cover tender plants, including roses, with 6 inches of soil, leaves or mulch on top of their crowns. Cage bananas, palms and tree ferns and fill the cage with foliage or mulch. For how to's click here. Remove accumulated snow on balconies, rooftops and any structure that may collapse under the added weight. 
Tie up evergreens so they don't become flattened with heavy snow.
Ice & Safety
Cool icicles.
Avoid using salt on paths, driveways, sidewalks and any areas close to where plants grow, including lawns. Salt contaminates soil and damages plants. Symptoms of salt damage appears in spring when plants fail to green up and is often mistaken for winterkill. Instead use eco-friendly organic salt-free de-icer. There are numerous brands available. For homemade solutions use kitty litter, sand, alfalfa meal or coffee grounds. Include a really good mat to wipe your shoes as you enter your house, as no matter what you use, it’s always messy.
Avoid using salt to de-ice paths as it injures adjacent plants.
Plants in the House
Spider mites have infested this kolanchoe.
Overwintering Plants: Remove dead foliage and flowers from geraniums, bougainvilleas and other plants that were brought inside for the winter. Inspect plants for bugs and treat with soap and water if necessary. Water to keep soil slightly moist. For more on overwintering geraniums and other tender plants, click here.
African violets appreciate the extra light when moved to a south or west facing window during the winter.
Houseplants suffer in the winter due to forced heating, cool windows and lack of sun. Plants that did well in the summer in a north or east facing window, might benefit from some extra light either from a south or west facing window or grow lights. For more on taking care of houseplants during the winter click here.
Cool Winter Plants
Chinese paperbush, Edgeworthia chrysantha.
Winter Interest: Brighten dreary winter gardens with plants that provide colour, shapes and textures. Good candidates are winter heath (Erica carnea), Oriental pepperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha), winter camellia (Camellia sasanqua), Oregon grape holly (Mahonia aquifolium), winterberry (Ilex verticillata), lenten roses (Hellebores) and lily-of-the-valley shrub (Pieris japonica).
Fragrant WInter Plants
Variegated Fragrant Daphne, Daphne odora 'Aureo-marginata'.
Winter Fragrance: Delight your senses with some lovely fragrant plants such as Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis) winter flowering jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), sweetbox (Sarcococca) and winter daphne (Daphne odora) and Japanese allspice (Chimonanthus praecox).
Lil' Hummers
A bar clamp extends a hummingbird feeder so it is safe from predators.
Where hummingbirds overwinter, keep an eye on feeders so they don’t run out. Replace nectar every 5 to 7 days. Avoid using commercial nectars, especially ones with red dye. Make your own nectar by boiling a cup of water and mix in a quarter cup of plain white sugar. Allow to cool and refill the freshly washed and dried feeders. When frost is predicted, bring them inside and place on trays to catch any overflow as the sweet water expands in the warmth of the house. It’s best to have a few hummingbird feeders so you can change them out throughout the day.
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December Garden ChoresClick on any green or red items below to be redirected to a relevant page for more information.
A broom will easily remove the heavy snow on this crushed winter heath so we can enjoy its flowers.
Garden Inspections: It’s a good idea to check out the garden, especially after inclement weather. Look for flooding, snow crushed plants, broken branches, dried out planters, block drains, overflowing eaves and such.
Slugs/Snails: Chewed foliage on primroses and other perennials combined with tell-tail slime trails means that mollusks are on the loose. Rainy days and evenings are great for slug hunting – if you’re not squeamish. Just pluck them up from the soil and plants then drop them into a cup of salty water. If that is not going to work for you, check out other controls here. Weeds: There’s nothing like plucking out a few weeds to justify having a delicious mug of hot cocoa – or a hot rum toddy… any excuse is fine with me. Garden Beds: Leaving fall foliage on top of the soil, but knock them off evergreens to prevent their stems and leaves from rotting. Cover bare soil with fallen leaves or another mulch to retain soil nutrients, reduce erosion, to insulate soil and to reduce winter weeds. Click here to learn more about mulching. 
'Jetfire' narcissus.
Plant Spring Bulbs: If you didn’t get round to planting daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs you can still do so if the ground isn’t frozen.
Brussels sprouts benefit from being staked so they don't fall over.
Harvest: Harvest parsnips, winter cabbage, kale, chard, leeks and any other winter crops as you need them. Keeping them in the ground improves their flavor and preserves their freshness. Insulate the soil with a few inches of straw or fall leaves to make harvesting carrots, beets and other root crops easier. To prolong the harvest of leafy crops such as kale, chard and lettuce, remove the leaves you need. Harvest Brussels sprouts when they are one inch diameter. Remove the ones at the bottom of the stem first, with a firm twist.
Now is a great time to take cuttings from roses and other shrubs and trees. To learn more about the process, click on the picture.
Lawns: It’s a good idea to remove all fallen leaves from the lawn before the snow comes as long as the grass isn’t frosty or frozen. There’s no need to bag the leaves, just rake them onto nearby beds.
Pruning: Mother Nature does her own bit of pruning as her strong winds breaks branches and topples trees. It’s up to us to check out the garden once a storm or windy weather has swept through our gardens. Cut back broken branches to a healthy side branch or remove the branch entirely. For big jobs, play it safe and hire professional ISA certified arborist. Click here for more on pruning. 
Outdoor Planters: Protect pots from cracking by bringing them inside, moving them to a sheltered spot and/or wrapping them in bubble wrap, insulation or blankets. Check all your outside container plants to make sure they are not drowning with the winter rains. For those under eaves, the opposite applies; make sure they don’t dry out.
Covering veggie beds protects them from winter weather.
Veggie Beds: Cover soil with straw, layers of newspapers, or a thick layer of fall leaves. For beds that are planted with winter crops, cover the soil between the plants. Covering the soil stops weeds, erosion and the loss of soil nutrients.
To prolong the flowering of potted daffodils, hyacinths, tulips and other spring bulbs, turn the thermostat down at night and keep them away from heating vents.
Putting Things Away: If you haven’t already done so clean, prepare and put away tools, garden equipment and lawn mower etc. Drain garden hoses and store in a protected location. Drain the outside faucets by shutting off the interior shut-off valve to the water line leading to the faucet.
Close the shut-off valves which are located inside your home. Protect outdoor pipes with insulating pipe sleeves and place faucet insulating covers over the outdoor taps, available at home hardware stores and amazon.ca. Empty the water out of garden hoses, nozzles, watering cans and store for the winter. Underground irrigation systems should have had their lines blown out by now, if not, do so asap. Shed: Remove fertilizers, seeds and other garden products, especially liquids, from unheated sheds and garages and store them in the basement or another frost free and dry location. 
Suet feeders are appreciated by winter birdies.
Birds need help to survive the winter, especially in cities and suburbia where their natural food is scarce. Suet feeders are a boon and a blessing for hungry birds as they provide essential protein and calories. Place suet cakes in cages, and avoid using ones in mesh bags as birds can become entangled in the netting. For a crafty idea, make your own feeders using pine cones stuffed with peanut butter and bird seed.
Speaking of bird seed, select the good stuff. Inexpensive types are full of fillers that end up being tossed by the birds and make a huge mess. Keep feeders stocked as they become to rely on them over the winter. Inspect them often, especially when they stop visiting, as the seeds may have spoiled. Give the feeder a good wash with some soap and a bit of bleach and dry thoroughly. Birds also get thirsty during the winter so put out fresh water when the weather dips below freezing. 
Seed and plant catalogues are nice read during the winter.
Order seed catalogues: Click here for a list of plant and seed catalogues. They are a perfect read to thwart those winter doldrums in front of the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa or even a hot rum toddy. Any excuse.... ahem..
Journal: My garden journal consists of photographs I store in my laptop to help me remember the growing year. There’s photos of the successes, failures, the veggie garden layout, the bugs – good and bad – all the stuff I need to remember for next year. 
To prolong blooming of amaryllis and other gift plants, keep them away from heat vents.
Gift Plants: To prolong the life of poinsettias, Christmas cactus and amaryllis, keep them away from heating vents, cold windows, open windows and drafts. Place them in the brightest light possible, preferably a southern or west facing window. Allow the soil to slightly dry out between watering, but don’t let them dry out too much.
Lady Darlene Dahlia
Stored Bulbs: It’s a good idea to give any stored dahlia, begonia and glad bulbs a good once over to make sure they are not too dry nor too wet. Discard any diseased and rotten ones. To learn more about tuberous begonias click here. For dahlia care click here.
Tree banding stops crawling insects in their tracks.
Caterpillars on Trees: Stop overwintering caterpillars from feasting on trees by trapping the insects as they crawl up the trunk in spring. To learn more about tree banding click here.
December Arrangement
Winter camellia and Chinese witch hazel.
Pink flowers of a 'Yuletide' winter camellia (Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide') combine with the yellow spidery flowers of a Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis).
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Plant of the month
Aucuba, Japanese Spotted Laurel
Spotted laurels are large, bold and impressive shrubs.
Their evergreen foliage is either spotted or streaked with yellow or white.
Grown for its foliage, aucubas have thick shiny leaves.
'Salicifolia' Japanese Laurel is a much larger cultivar with narrow leaves.
The berries and foliage of the 'Salicifolia' Japanese Laurel.
The female flowers are not showy but produce colourful red berries.
Flowers are often hidden amid abundant foliage.
Berries are usually borne singly and contain a single seed.
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Common Name: Japanese spotted laurel
Botanical Name: Aucuba japonica Form: round, broad Family: Garryaceae Genus: Aucuba Species: japonica Plant Type: broadleaf evergreen Mature Size: 6 to 10 feet by 5 to 9 feet Growth: fast Origin: China, Japan, Taiwan Hardiness Zone: 7 to 9 Foliage: waxy, glossy, ovate, deep green marked with yellow spots or streaks, upper leaf margins are serrated Flowers: small plum coloured are not noticeable, dioecious (male & female on separate plants Fruit: red ½” drupes contain one seed, persist until spring Exposure: shade to partial shade, dislikes hot sun Soil: moist, organically rich, well-drained best but generally soil tolerant Uses: shrub border, winter interest, hedge, background, bold accent, containers, screen, houseplant, foundation plants Propagation: cuttings, seeds Pruning: cut back overgrown and old plants in early spring before new growth begins Problems: root rot in wet soil, fungal leaf spot, scale, mealybug Comments: Aucubas, also known as spotted laurels, are ideal for moist and shady locations throughout the garden. These colourful broadleaf evergreen plants are not grown for their flowers, but for their large bright green leaves that are splotched or streaked with yellow. They are bold shrubs with many stems and large glossy leaves with a round canopy. These versatile plants are suitable for many uses throughout the garden, as well as inside the home as a houseplant. Now that’s versatility! Use spotted laurel along house foundations, in shrub borders, as informal hedges and as an accent to draw attention to an area or as a lone specimen. These versatile evergreen shrubs do well when grown in containers and can be brought inside during the winter in climates where they aren’t hardy. They are also suitable to keep them inside all year long as they make reliable and colourful houseplants. Just don’t let them dry out too much as they are prone to spider mites. The same thing goes for outdoor container grown specimens. Issues with spotted laurels occur when they receive too much sun, where the soil is too arid or too wet. This doesn’t mean they are fussy, in fact they are very easy to grow and are difficult to kill, even if you cut them way back. However, they are shade loving plants that like moist soil and if conditions are extreme, they are not going to like it. Foliage wilts and turns brown to black when there’s too much sun. When it’s too dry, growth is stunted and shrivels. Saturated soil results in withering, droopy leaves and a quick death. Although female aucubas produce bright red berries, they are not profuse, so they are not noted for their colourful fruit. Aucubas are dioecious, which means that male and female flowers are born on separate plants. Male plants don’t produce any berries, but they do provide the pollen for the female plants, just like holly, skimmia, kiwi, mulberry and ginkgo for example. If you want fruit, then you need a male and female plant in close proximity to each other. 
This aucuba is flecked with yellow dots.
No harm was done to this Japanese laurel, despite being buried under snow, as they are hardy from USDA Zones 7 to 9.
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Need Help?
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Need help figuring what to do in your garden? Make an appointment for Amanda to come to your garden to show you how to grow food, sow seeds, prune, design beds etc. Need help trying to figure out how to get the garden ready for spring? Get Amanda to teach you the ropes by making an appointment here.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
for the tropical Gardener
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While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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