december in the garden

In my next life - I vow to return as a hedghog! Hibernation seems a good option on some of the shortest days of the year, and this month you may not want to venture into your garden at all !

But as head gardener at the Manor it is necessary to make the most of this dormant time, tiding Autumn leaves and debris from our herbaceous borders along with keeping my teams moral up. As we approach the shortest day we can celebrate the turn of the year, when the days begin to grow longer.

Flowers are few and far between at ths time of the year, but look again carefully and you will see the Christmas Box blooming, Viburnums making the most of any frost free days, releasing their rich perfume for passing gardeners to enjoy, and bright orange seeds glowing on the iris foetidissima.

All around me I see next years buds swelling on trees, and the odd bulb I misadvertently dig up whilst working in the borders is plump and bursting with life, pushing up it's new shoots underground.