JANUARY

It is not uncommon for gardens to look slightly drab in the depths of winter. January can be a bleak and dull month, but don't let the winter blues get you down! 

There is the potential for great beauty in January. The low sun, crisp winter air and frosted ground coalesce to provide unmatched scenery. 

With the right selection of shrubs and plants, you can bring a much-needed burst of colour and life to your garden. There are many plants that thrive during the winter months, providing colourful blooms, attractive foliage, and much-needed texture to any outdoor space.

Below we list some of our favourite plant species that with considered planting design will add a stunning display of flowers to your garden during the Winter months.

Snowdrops are the iconic and welcome sign that Spring is on its way. Often appearing first in January, these delicate bulbs are very low maintenance, growing in most soil types, and will naturalise over time.

Looking their best when planted en masse. Snowdrops perform well in shady borders, woodland settings and even pots.

Galanthus Snowdrop

Galanthus (Snowdrops)

Helleborus

Hellebores are a fantastic way of adding winter interest to a planting scheme. They are greatly appreciated for their diversity of colourful blooms in an otherwise quiet period of the year, large flowers, long flowering period and lush leathery green foliage. 

Whilst generally easy to work into designs; they are generally fine in most soil types, prefer a little shade but can cope in the sun. Just avoid very wet or very dry soil. Always check the species of choice. 

My preference tends towards the Oriental hybrids (Helleborus x hybridus). They are hardy and come in a wide range of flower colours for example: 

PLANTS FOR WINTER INTEREST

Top Jobs for JANUARY

Although January is the middle of winter and usually the coldest month, people often leave their gardens unattended. Still, just as the days are beginning to lengthen, the garden will begin to grow. As this month is a hard time for birds, keeping bird feeds full can help them in a critical time.


  1. Prune apple and pear trees

    This can be an intimidating job for many gardeners. There are a few fundamental things to keep in mind. Firstly focus on removing dead, damaged, diseased and rubbing branches. Ideally you should aim to take off no more than 10-20% of the overall canopy off to promote new growth; there’s always next year! Work your way around the tree evenly. Aim for an open goblet shape to allow more light in. Seek professional help before committing to anything that is outside of your comfort zone to be performed safely!

     

  2. Cleaning greenhouses

    Greenhouse hygiene is essential to reduce the possibility of pest and disease issues in the growing season. Winter is a good time to give everything a good clean! Not only will this help with reducing infection risks, but also the clean glass will allow more light in giving you a headstart into the new year! . 

  3. Laying turf

    As long as there is no heavy frost or snow January is a fine time to work on repairing an old lawn or laying a new one. If there are any bumps or dips you can, using your spade to cut a H shape, peel back the turf and either remove or add topsoil. Then re lay the turf and press down the edges together. Lawn laid in January will require much less watering to establish.