SMALL GARDEN SERIES
A little discernment in plant choices will see your outside decked out in fabulous fashion
A good garden is a thing of beauty, but perfection takes thought and time, particularly when it comes to winter. As the leaves fall and temperatures dip, things can start looking a little thin and it can be tempting to supplement the scenery with ornaments and decorations. But while filling the gaps with gewgaws and fairy lights may be quick, it is just a temporary fix. For long-lasting good looks and a sustainable and interesting space all year round, some good, old-fashioned gardening is the ultimate solution.
Berries
As the festive season approaches, homes are gaily festooned with lights and decorations, but in the garden, nature celebrates sustainably with cheerful baubles of her own.
Roses can be particularly dramatic, and after the flowers have faded some rosehips last for many months, particularly those of native dog roses, climbers, and varieties such as Rosa glauca and Rosa rugosa. Sorbus is a good choice of tree for a smaller space and it produces berries in a rainbow of colours, from red and white to pink or yellow, that last right through until the birds eat them in early winter. For real impact, however, we should look to crab apples such as cultivars of Malus transitoria, Malus ‘Evereste’ and the stellar M. robusta ‘Red Sentinel’, which bears beautiful scarlet fruits that often persist right until early spring.
Holly is the acknowledged star of the season, but we should not allow other plants to be eclipsed – berberis, cotoneaster and pyracantha may be sturdy workhorses, but they also berry up beautifully, while Viburnum davidii has curious pewter blue fruit. Subtle ivy flowers and berries provide food for insects and birds as winter progresses, and while Nandina domestica is often grown for its foliage, the dramatic sprays of red berries contribute attractively to the winter garden.
Colourful berries are natural baubles for the festive season
Pots with impact
Moveable and versatile, containers are stars in smaller gardens, especially in winter. For a quick fix, bring the best-looking plants to the fore and put the less spectacular ones in an unobtrusive corner.
A tiered ‘theatre’ looks wonderful; you can buy staging but a few upturned pots can elevate the containers at the back. Plant up some additional tubs of bulbs that flower sequentially to ref
