February
Helleborus orientalis.
At last the evenings are beginning to get a little lighter and the birds sing a little more loudly in the mornings. Surely Spring is on its way? Having missed out on a summer in 2009, it seems an age since hope for better things was in the air.
In February it is time to look at your garden and prepare it for the coming year. Spring, as we keep saying, is just around the corner - crocus, hyacinth, narcissus, early tulips and delicate white snowdrops are starting to show - so before all your plants begin growing again, get the Gardeneer team in to tidy up and help you plan your garden for 2010 - beat the Spring rush!
February is the last full month of winter and often the hardest weather-wise. However, there are some truly spectacular shrubs at this time of year to look out for and add to your garden's late winter interest. No winter garden should be without Chimonanthus praecox with its superbly scented, ivory, claw-like flowers with purple centres. They are a deciduous upright shrub, in growing habit reaching 2 to 2.5m. Another star of the garden in February is Cornus mas. It has the common name of "Cornelian Cherry" even though it is not a cherry and is a member of the "dogwood" group of shrubs. But unlike the more commonly seen dogwoods with their colourful stems, this shrub is cherished for its mass of tiny, yellow, tufted flowers which absolutely smother the shrub followed by bright red berries - hence its common. Daphnes are a great group of winter flowering shrubs. A personal favourite is Daphne odora "Aureomarginata". This evergreen, slow-growing shrub is ideal for any garden and does well in containers. It is valued for its variegated foliage and especially for the small sprays of soft reddish-purple flowers which are astronomically scented. If you cannot find these shrubs at your local garden centre or nursery, Gardeneer can source these plants for you.
Tips for the February garden
• Cut back any deciduous ornamental grasses. This can be done with a good sharp pair of garden shears or a hedge trimmer;
• Divide any clumps of snowdrops while they are in active growth to help them spread around your garden;
• Cut back hard any Cornus "Dogwoods" to 15cm or 6" to encourage growth of new stems to give you next year's colourful winter stems;
• Plant lily and allium bulbs now so they get a good early start and establish well. Lily bulbs should be planted deep - a minimum of 15cm or 6";
• Start to chit seed potatoes by placing them in light but cool frost free place. Seed trays are ideal for this - stand them on end. It is best to limit it to 3 buds or "chits" as they are called;
• Cut any deciduous hedges such as beech, hornbeam or hawthorn before any birds start nesting.
February is a great time to find a comfy seat with a steaming cup of coffee and cake, and look through the seed, plant and landscaping catalogues. Let your imagination run wild and decide how you can improve your garden this coming year ...
The team at Gardeneer can help you with any of these jobs and are on hand for any of your gardening needs, be it tidying up your garden after winter's ravages or regular garden maintenance if you do not have time to do it yourself. And do not forget that at Gardeneer we repair and replace fences at very competitive rates. Gardeneer also offers a complete garden design and build service, so if you are considering a complete garden make over in 2010, please contact us for a no obligation quote.
