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ANNA TAYLOR, OWNER OF ANNA’S FLOWER FARM IN AUDLEY END, SHARES WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE GARDEN THIS MONTH GARDEN GROW? How does your JANUARY
always feel that those crisp January days at the start of the year are life affirming; frozen cobwebs threaded through borders of old flower stems
and grasses, bordered by blue skies and contrasting sharply with other days – those that are heavy and still with damp fog that’s too thick to disperse. January flowers are perhaps the most precious of all – hidden, literally, under shrubs all year, to open in the deepest winter. There are fewer pollinators now, so these plants work even harder to be noticed, usually with the most intoxicating scent, rewarding you as you seek them out. That’s what’s so wonderful about winter gardens, quietly sturdy and reliable. For flowers that open in the darkest season, robustness is key, patiently waiting for the garden to retreat so they can finally shine. Often thriving in woodland conditions, perhaps under deciduous canopies or in north-facing gardens, winter flowers are at home in the less competitive spots. They’re accommodating in their needs, giving more than they take, creating ground cover and backdrops. With green, unassuming foliage that sparkles into the winter months, these plants are fail-safe, reliable and hard working. Use them as a foundation for your planting design and permanent cut-flower borders; your foresight will pay off every single year. The hellebore has varieties that flower in succession from January through to
© ANNA TAYLOR
FRESH START A lack of pollinators in January means winter flowers have an irresistible scent
These, grown with stipa arundinacea – a beautiful evergreen grass with rusty blooms – make for a classic combination. For drama and structure, this year I will be planting a garrya elliptica. It’s slow growing, but I thought that about the arbutus – and ten years later, I’m grateful I planted that shrub when I did. The best time to plant anything is ten years ago, the second-best time is today! It’s certainly worth a trip to the National Trust’s Anglesey Abbey for a winter walk and some inspiration, Wimpole and the Cambridge Botanic Garden, too. Though winter celebrations for weddings and parties need decoration with great restraint and delicacy, this season’s horticultural offerings have some of the most wonderful fragrances and shapes. The sparseness of January focuses our attention, making the season even sweeter. I can’t think of a more romantic time of year in the garden. Join Anna’s ‘grow-along’ sessions starting this month. Head to annasflowerfarm.co.uk for more information
April, with the whites showing earliest. Helleborus niger is snow white and delicate, while winterbells are a smidge tougher, with fierce flowers in shades of pink. They last for ages if you cut when the flower stamens drop and the seed heads develop. Enjoy the flowers outside and bring the mature ones in for double value. Then there are the snowdrops and tiny cyclamen. Plant them in shallow pots for tables and window boxes to appreciate them fully. Weave clematis cirrhosa across fences and through mature trees with nodding bells. Winter jasmine against walls and fences with bright yellow flowers gives a little sunshine, just when it’s needed. Finally, don’t forget the shrubs: like the ‘little black dress’, they work in any location, at any event, in any style – notably lonicera ‘winter beauty’ and sarcococca. Contorted hazel is a back-of-the-garden or border plant, and in the winter comes into its own, providing interesting stems for decoration. Colourful cornus lose their leaves and reveal striking coloured stems – especially the ‘midwinter fire’ variety.
82 JANUARY 2023 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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