Fresh snow under the Alex Fraser Bridge, BC. Photo by Amanda Jarrett
The Garden Website for December
December Introduction - December Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - December Garden Chores
December Garden Stars - Plant Police
Christmas Tree Selection Guide - 10 Steps to a Festival Planter - Christmas Decor on a Budget
December Arrangement - Need Help? - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Winter Heath & Heathers
December Garden Stars - Plant Police
Christmas Tree Selection Guide - 10 Steps to a Festival Planter - Christmas Decor on a Budget
December Arrangement - Need Help? - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Winter Heath & Heathers
Lovely Christmas finds from nature and a dollar store.
December Intro
Inspiration and joy for the holiday season involves visiting colourful and sparkling evening displays of Christmas lights as well as Christmas markets, craft fairs, Christmas tree contests and parades. They are all part and parcel of getting enthused about the season, but there is an alternative, although it’s not on the usual Christmas festivity list.
I get my festive lift from garden centres. And it is not just because “I love plants and love to garden”, it’s because they are magically transformed into enchanting wonderlands. They drip with imagination and creativity. I am often in awe at the beauty and ingenuity filling their showrooms with fanciful Christmas trees, garlands, outside planters and inside decorations. You’ll find traditional décor, as well as the fanciful, the rustic to the outré modern. Themes abound and they have all the necessary ornaments and such to pull it off. Colours are not just green, red, gold and silver; there’s Christmas trees trimmed in pink, others in purples, blues and even black – and all stunningly beautiful. Being inspired by all these lovely decorations is one thing, trying not to spend too much is another thing all together. I gird my loins, my credit card clutched closely to my chest as I am there to garner ideas, not spend a huge amount of money. Okay, so yes, I do buy a decoration or two, but nothing to break the bank - ahem. So if Christmas lights and shopping malls are not giving you that festive feel and you want to be inspired, then hopefully a visit to a garden centre will lift your spirits and turn your lights on. I wish you a pleasant and gentle December. Cheers and Merry Christmas! Amanda
West Coast Gardens, in south Surrey, BC, is one of the many garden centres that get decked out for Christmas.
|
Amanda's Garden Blog
|
Dried hydrangea and a pretty ribbon is all you need to be festive.
December Garden Stars
Himalayan white birch, Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, grows 30 to 40ft, 18x20ft wide. Deciduous tree, Zones 4 -7.
|
Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, Corylus avellana 'Contorta'. Deciduous shrub, 8 to 10 ft tall and wide. Zone 4 to 8.
|
Dwarf Alberta spruce, Picea glauca 'Conica', is a coniferous evergreen. Zones 2 to 8, 6 to 12 ft. tall, 4 to 5 ft wide.
|
Emerald & Gold wintercreeper, Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald & Gold'. Grows to 3ft x 4ft. Broadleaf evergreen, Zones 5 to 8.
|
Japanese stewartia, Stewartia pseudocamellia, grows 15 to 40 ft x 10 to 25ft. White blossoms in summer, full sun, part shade, Zones 5 to 8.
|
Red twig dogwood, Cornus sericea, grows 6 to 9 ft x 7 to 10ft. Full sun, part shade. Zones 3 to 7.
|
Oregon Grape Holly, Mahonia aquifolium, grows 3 to 6f x 2 to 5ft. Sprays of yellow flowers in April. Full sun to shade. Zones 5 to 8.
|
Sweet box, Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis, broad leaf evergreen. Grows to 2ft x 4 ft. Fragrant white small blooms in early spring. Part to full shade. Zones 6 to 8.
|
December PLANT COMBO
Bear Creek Park in Surrey has a nice combination of a Dwarf Alberta Spruce and heather that looks good anytime of year.
Heathers and conifers always make a great combination. Winter heath, Erica carnea, flowers from December to spring. Fall flowering heathers, Calluna species, flower from late summer and bloom repeatedly through autumn.
plant police
Not only where these trees topped, it was done too late in the season.
Not sure why these poor maples had their crowns hacked off, but whatever the reason, it was a bad one. The trees looked great before and didn't need any pruning - so why were they topped? Maybe there were too many leaves to rake in the fall or maybe they wanted to give the tenants more light. Now they look sad, very, very sad. Suckers and watersprouts are the result from topping as the tree compensates for their lost limbs.
Christmas Tree Selection Guide
When Christmas tree shopping, touch the foliage. It should be supple, not brittle.
Christmas trees are pricey so it makes sense to do your homework before you shell out your hard earned cash. Here’s information on cut, flocked and living Christmas trees (they have not been cut and are grown in containers) as well as Christmas tree care and disposal. Read more...
10 Steps to a Festive Planter
It's easy to make a festive planter and certainly much cheaper than store bought.
Being creative and making a seasonal planter is a great way to thwart winter's bleak, grey skies. If you already have some planters outside that look sad, just add some evergreen boughs, maybe some ornaments and battery operated fairy lights, and voila, it’s done.
If you don’t have an existing planter to doll-up, use any container large enough to accommodate some branches. Read more .... 
Clippings from my garden combined with faux holly work well together.
Christmas DECOR on a Budget
Dollar store finds with spray painted hydrangea and a yew branch.
There’s lots of expensive ways to adorn your house and garden with festive decorations, but why spend lots of money when you don’t have to. My garden and the nearby woods provide lots of goodies: pine cones, evergreen branches including cedars, pines and junipers. Broadleaf evergreens, boxwood, holly and evergreen magnolias last quite a long time when used outside, even without water. Dried hydrangea blossoms can become any colour you want with the help of spray paint. I’ve painted them black, aqua and white. Add glitter, with sparkly spray paint.
Dollars stores are a favorite of mine for all kinds of things, especially for seasonal goodies and Christmas is no exception. Start shopping early as the good stuff flies off the shelves. I have been pleasantly surprised with the goodies I have found. Pine cones, garland, nice faux poinsettias, amaryllis and berry stems, delightful Christmas tree balls, silky ribbons and baubles fill the shelves. There's many as well as Christmas lights fill the shelves. And go to more than one as their stock varies depending on the store and the area. 
A special thank you goes to the glue gun that put this all together, despite the burned fingertips.
|
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 cedar hedge.
Under Snow? There’s not much to do in the garden except unburden crushed plants from the weight with a broom.
Got Ice? Putting salt on paths, sidewalks and other areas where plants are close by, is not a good idea. Salt burn damages plants and contaminates soil. Maybe winterkill isn’t killing your plants, maybe it’s the salt. An alternative is eco-friendly organic salt-free de-icer. For traction only use kitty litter, sand, alfalfa meal or coffee grounds. Since coffee grounds are dark, they absorb heat so the ice may melt. Tools: If you haven’t done so already, clean all tools then spray them down with a vegetable oil. It’s best not to wait until spring, but at least make sure that all tools are at least dry. Keep them dry and away from winter weather. Fertilizers & Other Garden Products: Liquid fertilizer, dormant oil, lime sulfur and any other liquids must be stored in a frost free location. Granular products, including fertilizers, must be kept dry. 
Use straw, newspaper or other organic mulch to protect bare vegetable beds during the winter.
Cover Bare Beds: Protect the soil and any plants in garden beds from weeds, erosion and nutrient loss with a protective layer. Cover bare soil with 3 inches of organic mulch such as fallen leaves or purchase wood chips or even newspaper. Lay it on thickly so it doesn’t blow away. Straw works well for veggie beds.
Order seeds & Plants: from plant catalogues while they have plenty in stock. Lawn: Keep off the grass when it is frozen and frosty. Birds: Birds need our help in the winter to survive. Bird seed and suet go a long way, especially in cities and suburbia due to limited green spaces. Inspect the feeding station(s) regularly as rain and snow will spoil and rot the seeds. If that does occur, throw out the seeds and disinfect the bird feeder with bleach and soapy water, rinse well and dry thoroughly. Replace with fresh dry seed and keep your feeders and suet feeders continuously well stocked as the birdies will become to rely on your kindness. 
Anna's Hummingbirds visits my hummingbird feeder throughout the winter.
Hummingbirds: Not all hummingbirds fly south for the winter as my busy feeders can attest to. It depends of where you live of course, but here in south west British Columbia, Anna's hummingbirds don't fly south. This tough little cookie is only 4 inches long at best, but it survives our wet temperate, sometimes snowy winters. If you have been feeding hummingbirds throughout the year, continue to do so until it is obvious that they have gone south for the winter.
Amaryllis planted in mid November flower around Christmas.
Christmas gift plants: Prolong the life of poinsettias, Christmas cactus and amaryllis by keeping them away from heating vents, open cold windows, drafts and on the top of televisions, cable boxes etc. Place them in the best light possible. Allow the soil to slightly dry out between watering again.
Outside Containers: Check all your outside container plants to make sure they are not drowning with the winter rains. For those under eaves, make sure they are not drying out. Houseplants and Overwintering Plants: Check and water them regularly so they don’t dry out. Provide more light if they are pale, weak and lanky. Place in front of a sunny window or use a grow lights. Keep them on a timer for 6 to 8 hours daily. Slugs & Snails: Carry a cup of salty water to plop them in while you tour the garden. Rainy days are best for such things. Weeds: If weeds are not hiding under the snow, take this opportunity to get them while they are weak. It makes hand weeding easier and more effective. 
Now is a great time to take cuttings from your favorite trees and shrubs, including roses.
Cuttings: Continue to take hardwood cuttings from trees and shrubs.
Winter Harvests: Harvest kale, parsnips, chard and other winter crops as you need them. Keep them in the ground to improve their flavor and preserve freshness. To prolong the harvest of leafy crops (kale, chard and lettuce) throughout the winter, remove the leaves you need or take the top third of the plant off, but don’t dig it up. These hardy veggies will often grow new foliage, especially kale, if it doesn’t get too vicious out there. Journal: This is a good time to make notes about your gardening year. Include successes and well as failures and things you would do differently. Include a plan (photos work well) of the garden this past year. Winter Colour
Female skimmias are a wonderful addition to a winter garden. They bear lush green foliage, flowers and berries are they even like shade.
If you are not impressed with your winter garden, check out your neighbourhood and local parks for seasonal beauties. Plant nurseries will also have their best and brightest on display. Here’s some for you to consider: witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis), coral bark maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’), paperbark maple (Acer griseum), beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri), Japanese aucuba (Aucuba japonica), strawberry tree/shrub (Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’),
Darwin barberry (Berberis darwinii), warty barberry (Berberis verruculosa), winter heath (Erica carnea), wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei), sweet box (Sarcococca), Japanese skimmia (Skimmia japonica) and Harry Lauder Walking Stick (Corylus avellana 'Contorta'). Click on red items above to be redirected to the Plant of the Month page. 
Chinese witch hazels blossom in the depth of winter with sweet perfumes spider-like flowers.
|
December Arrangement
Red twig dogwood, English holly, pine boughs, Norway spruce cones & Japanese skimmia.
Plant of the month
Winter Heath, Erica Carnea
Winter Heath is aptly named.
White winter heath flowers.
Pretty pink winter heath flowers in February.
A purple winter heath continues to flower in April.
Erica carnea, winter heath, March.
A pink winter heath hugs the cold January ground at VanDusen Botanical Gardens.
Winter Treasure Darley heath (Erica x darleyensis 'Winter Treasure') in February.
A Scotch heather with red stems and white flowers.
A pink tree heath at Dart's Hill in May.
|
Common Name: Winter Heath
Botanical Name: Erica carnea Form: spreading horizontal oval Family: Ericaceae Genus: Erica Species: carnea Plant Type: evergreen broadleaf shrub, ground cover Mature Size: 1ft x 2ft, but depends on cultivar Growth: slow Origin: British Isles, Europe Hardiness Zone: 5 to 8 Foliage: soft, small green needles in whorls of 4 Flowers: urn shaped flowers in white, violet, pink, red in Dec to April Fruit: brown capsule in May to June Exposure: sun to light shade Soil: acidic, moist, well-drained peaty soils Uses: massing, rockery, containers, erosion control, winter and spring interest Progagation: layering, semi-hardwood cuttings Pruning: To keep plants compact, prune right after flowering by trimming off the flowers. Don’t cut back into mature wood as they may not regrow. Problems: No serious problems except for root rot in poorly drained soils. Cultivars: many Comments: Often referred to as heather, Erica carnea, is actually a heath. Heaths flower during winter and spring. Their small green leaves are needle-like. Heathers (Calluna), flower in the summer until frost and have similar looking foliage but their foliage is scale-like. Other Heathers: Darley Heath, Winter Heath, Erica x darleyensis, is larger and more vigorous version of its sibling E. carnea. It grows to 2ft with a greater width depending on the cultivar. Flower colours are white, pink and purple and occur in late fall through to spring. Scotch heather, bell heather, Erica cinerea, grows to 2 ft with equal or greater spread. It flowers in summer in pinks, reds, white and violet. Scotch heather, heather or ling, Calluna vulgaris. Native to Northern North America and northern Europe to Eurasia. Grows 1 to 2 feet tall with equal or greater spread. Flowers from July to October in pinks, purples and reds. Full sun, part shade. 
Erica x darleyensis 'Winter Treasure', Darley heath, Feb
Calluna vulgaris 'Silver Knight', a Scotch heather has soft silver foliage.
Bud Bloomers Scotch heather (Calluna vulgaris 'Bud Bloomers') bears different coloured flowers in fall through winter.
Spring Smile tree heath branch is loaded with flowers.
|
Spring Smile tree heath, Erica arborea 'Spring Smile' in April at VanDusen Botanical Gardens.
|
A collection of heathers and heaths at Bear Creek Park, Surrey, BC.
|
Need Help?
|
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.
|
Job Postings
For landscapers looking for work and landscape companies looking to hire.
If you are looking for work or if you wish to post a position please go to Job Postings.
If you are looking for work or if you wish to post a position please go to Job Postings.
THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
|
Container Growing 101Monthly Flower Arrangements
Growing Roses Introduction Mulching & Types Introduction |
for the tropical Gardener
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.
|
|
|
Copyright 2017 The Garden Website.com, Amanda's Garden Consulting Company - All Rights Reserved