MAKE LIFE LOVELY
DREAM PLANT GROW PICK MAKE BUY
BEWITCHING WITCH HAZEL
From the zingy citrus scent of the darker flowers to the strong but sweet aroma of the pale golden varieties, witch-hazel stems will scent a whole room while effortlessly exuding a sense of theatre with their spider-like silhouettes. And if your green fingers are in the throes of the slumber that is January, rejoice that creating a vivid display like this requires minimal effort – just snip generous lengths, plonk in a rustic pot or water and your work is done!
Enjoy the winter sun
A Great British deckchair is our January seat of choice as you can whip it out of the shed in seconds when a dry day coincides with an opportunity to steal a few minutes of peace. Sneaky half-snooze done, simply stow it away to keep it in tickety-boo condition (and hide the evidence of your slumber). This Stripe Rocking Deckchair in Earl Grey (£90, gardentrading.co.uk) has the added benefit of armrests on its beech-wood frame, ensuring comfier shut-eye moments in the garden.
We LOVE this!
WHAT TO PLANT NOW!
Jostaberries
A cross between a redcurrant and a gooseberry, a jostaberry plant (£ 12/40- 60cm bareroot, rootsplants.co.uk) produces dark purple fruit that you’d be hard pushed to find in a supermarket. They like space so dig a hole twice the size of the rootball of your plant, in a sunny spot. A decent harvest may not happen the first year but be patient for, when they do appear, the berries will be deliciously juicy, packed full of vitamins, and they can be plucked and popped in your mouth straight from the bush or cooked in crumbles and cobblers.
INSTAGRAM INSPIRATION
When you find yourself in a mellow mid-winter mood, take a wander through th
