garden notes News, products and advice for the new season
SEASONAL SENSATION WINTER-FLOWERING HONEYSUCKLE
Sow, sow
Most people associate honeysuckle with summer, but Lonicera fragrantissima, the winter-flowering honeysuckle, puts on a fantastic show of richly scented flowers just when the days are at their darkest. It’s a super-hardy shrub that thrives in any well-drained soil in sun or part shade and needs virtually no maintenance. If you’ve got cloches, a cold frame or a wad of horticultural fleece you can sow carrot seeds as early as February – so you need to order your seed right now! ‘Adelaide’ and ‘Nantes 2’ are excellent choices for early sowings. Grow them in deep containers if you’re short of garden space.
PERFECT PINES If you want a Christmas tree that stays in peak condition throughout the festive season your best bet is to buy a healthy tree from a local independent nursery. As always Braithwaites at Leeming Bar (braithwaitesnursery.co.uk) has a splendid selection of top quality trees – Nordman, Norway Spruce and Fraser Fir – and their friendly staff will be happy to advise which type best fits your needs.
Mistletoe magic
TOP LOPPER
Winter is the best time to prune most trees and shrubs, and with these National Trust loppers from Burgon & Ball (burgonandball.com) you can make short work of the job. With their drop-forged, high-carbon steel blades and sturdy ash handles they’re both practical and handsome. Get snipping!
Enjoy kissing under the mistletoe? If you have a mature apple tree you can grow your own! Pick mistletoe berries in February, squeeze out the sticky seeds and lodge them in crevices on medium-large branches of your tree. If they germinate you’ll have your own source of festive mistletoe sprigs in a year or two. Dales Life | WINTER 2022 |
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