Christmas is over and resolutions have been made, so now is the time to get out in the garden and shed those extra pounds! However dire the weather may look from the inside, it’s great to get outside and see what’s popping up already. Snowdrops will be pushing through the dark earth and Arum italicum ‘Pictum’ will be looking its best now with its bright green marbled leaves. It is very easy to grow even in the driest of shady corners.
For a really stunning combination that will lighten up the dull days of January, grow clumps of yellow and red-stemmed Dogwood. Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ and Cornus stolonifera ‘Flaviramea’ are very easily available and are well worth the investment. If you are lucky enough to have a large pond or stream in your garden, plant them on the bank and the reflection will double the effect. The youngest wood gives the brightest colour, so cut them down to the ground each March and they will not disappoint you.
Pruning Wisteria is always a puzzling thing for most gardeners, but it is really quite simple: cut back the long whippy growths in August by two-thirds and then in January, cut these back to two or three buds to promote flowering. Thin out congested or dead branches while you are able to see the framework more easily.
Liven up your palate this month with some fresh home-grown salad. The lettuces outside may have succumbed to the frost, but you can still grow rocket in pots on a sunny windowsill or try your hand at growing beansprouts. Alfalfa seed is the quickest and all you need is a wide-necked jam jar with some muslin over the top. Rinse with fresh water twice daily and they will be ready to eat by the end of the week.
Keep warm.
