December 1, 2011 | sproutgarden

Advent Calendar

Welcome to my advent Calendar

I am aiming to provide you a plant with Winter interest
for each day of Advent.

(pictures shown are a guide only and may not be of the specific cultivar)

Well here you have it 24 plant suggestions for colour throughout the winter months.

24th December ▬ Abies nordmanniana 

Botanical name: Abies nordmanniana
Other names: Chrsistmas Tree, Nordmann Fir

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use:  Bring into the home at Christmas and decorate with fairy lights,baubles and tinsel.  Some prefer to top the tree with an angel or fairy while others choose a large star.

Cultivation:   Plant in moist but well-drained slightly acidic soil. Or in a bucket decorated with tinsel and crepe paper, preferably red and surrounded colourful wrapped presents.

 23rd December ▬ Mistletoe

Botanical name: Viscum album
Other names: Mistletoe, Witches Broom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use:  It is a parasitic shrub, which grows on the stems of other trees.

There are lots of legends and traditions surrounding mistletoe, the most well known and popular being the kissing one. It was believed that kissing under the mistletoe would lead to marriage.

22nd December ▬ Hedera Helix

Botanical name: Hedera Helix
Other names: Common English Ivy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use: Ivy is a vigourous evergreen climbing shrub with dark-green five-lobed leaves and insignificant cream flowers in late summer to early autumn, followed by black berries.  Use as ground cover or wall cover in sun or shade.  Other varieties have bolder variegation in cream and yellow.

Cultivation:  Plant in any soil in any aspect. This vigorous plant may be invasive.

21st December ▬ Ilex

Botanical name: Ilex aquifolium ‘JC van Tol’
Other names: Holy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use:  Evergreen shrub with glossy spikey leaves and red berries are produced in autumn and winter.

Cultivation:  Grow in moist, free-draining, humus-rich soil in full sun to partial shade.

Awards: RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

 

20th December – Snowdrop

Botanical name: Galanthus nivalis
Other names: Snowdrop

(pictures shown are a guide only and may not be of the specific cultivar)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use: A familiar image on many Christmas cards the Snowdrop is a bulbous perennial with narrow, grey-green leaves, and solitary, nodding, fragrant, double white flowers in late winter . Use as under planting in a woodland setting or at border edges in the garden.

Cultivation: Plant in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil that does not dry out in summer. Although you can plant bulbs, it is better to plant ‘in the green’, when the plant has foliage and flowers in show. These tend to establish better than bulbs without growth.

Awards:  RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

 

19th December – Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’

Botanical name:  Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’
Other names: Contorted Hazel

(pictures shown are a guide only and may not be of the specific cultivar)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use: is a bulbous perennial with narrow, grey-green leaves, and solitary, nodding, fragrant, double white flowers in spring.

Cultivation: Plant in moist, free-draining, ideally alkaline soil in full sun or partial shade. Remove suckers, as they will emerge from the stronger species rootstock which will overpower ‘Contorta’.

Awards: Many varieties have been awarded the RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

 

18th December ▬ Lonicera

Botanical name:  Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’
Common name: Winter Honeysuckle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use: Mid -sized deciduous shrub with ovate light-green leaves. In winter and early spring it bears small, sweetly scented, cream flowers on its bare branches.

Cultivation:  Plant in full sun or partial shade in any well-drained soil.

Awards: RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

 

17th December – Elaeagnus x ebbingei ‘Gilt Edge’

Botanical name: Elaeagnus x ebbingei ‘Gilt Edge’
Common name: Oleaster ‘Gilt Edge’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use: This evergreen shrub makes a great alternative to holy in a Christmas display or door wreath as it has great green and yellow colour and good leaf shape is much easier to handle than spiney holy.  It rarely berries  but you could use berries from an Acuba or Cotoneaster in an arrangement or try using some artificial berries to add colour.  Its also great to brighten up a border especially in part shade.

Cultivation:  Plant in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.

 

16th December ▬ Phormium

Botanical name: Phormium ‘Jester’
Common name : New Zealand Flax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use : Winter interest doesn’t necessarily mean it has to flower or berry in the winter.  Phormiums make a great focal point at any time of year.  Make sure you check the size it will grow to as many can reach 2m in height and width.

Cultivation:  Grow moist, well-drained, fertile soil in full sun, will also tolerate partial shade.  Cut back the flower stalks to the base after they have finished.

 

15th December ▬ Pansy

Botanical name: Viola ‘Winter Flowering’
Common name Pansy ‘Winter Flowering’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use : A short lived winter flowering perennial that is usually grown as an annual and best used in containers with other winter flowering favourites such as Bellis, Primrose and Cyclamen

Cultivation:  Grow in moist but well-drained soil in full sun or light shade.

 

14th December ▬ Symphoricarpos

Botanical name: Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus
Common name:  Common snowberry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use: Decisuous shrun with arching branches and white berries through winter.    Drought Tolerant and usefull on banks or slopes and can be used as an informal hedge

Cultivation: Grow in any fertile, reasonably well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Pollution tolerant.

 

13th December ▬ Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’

Botanical name: Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’
Common name : Witch hazel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use: One of my favourite plants, I would use it as a specimen focal point for winter, may at the end of a view from the Kitchen sink.  Its not much of a show in summer but its spidery and heavily scented flowers are wonderful in winter.  Also works well in a woodland location.

Cultivation: Plant in moist, free-draining soil in full sun or dappled shade, however too much shade will reduce flowering. Will tolerate deep, humus-rich soils over chalk.

Awards: RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

 

12th December ▬ Cotoneaster x watereri

Botanical name: Cotoneaster x watereri
Common name:  Cotoneaster x watereri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use large shrub or small tree with arching branches. It has large, dull green foliage and red berries in autumn and winter.  It can be used to  make a hedge or as structure in a mixed border.

Cultivation : Grow in well-drained soil in full sun or part shade. Needs some shelter from cold, drying winds.

 

11th December – Pyracantha

Botanical name:  Pyracantha
Other names: Firethorn

(pictures shown are a guide only and may not be of the specific cultivar)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use: Pyrancantha is an evergreen shrub which produces white flowers in May but its real beauty is its striking profusion of Red or Orange berries in Autumn and Winter.  Often used as a hedge and especially good as a security measure as it has very large and very sharp spikes that will deter the keenest intruder.

Cultivation: Plant in fertile, well-drained soil in sun or part shade. In frost-prone areas, shelter from cold, drying winds. Tolerates air pollution.

Awards: Many varieties have been awarded the RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

 

10th December  – Erica carnea

Cultivation: Plant in well-drained, acidic soil in full sun.

 

9th December  – Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Charles Lamont’

8th December – Mahonia

 

7th December - Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna

Botanical name:  Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna
Other names:  Sweet Box

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna is an evergreen shrub with  narrow, mid-green leaves. In winter, it bears small clusters of tiny, fragrant, cream flowers, followed by small, black berries in summer.

Use:  can be used as an informal hedge or in a mixed border for evergreen structure, but I would plant close to a door or gateway to get the best of its winter scent

Cultivation: Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained, humus-rich soil in deep or partial shade in a sheltered position. If soil remains moist during summer, it will tolerate a sunny position. Pollution and drought tolerant.

Awards: RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

 

6th December - Jasminum nudiflorum

5th December – Cornus (Winter Gardens)

Botanical name:
Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ (Golden-twig dogwood),
Cornus sanguinea ‘Winter Beauty’ (Dogwood ‘Winter Beauty’)
Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ (Siberian dogwood)

 

Cornus: are mid-sized, deciduous shrub with green leaves turning red or orange in autumn. They have  distinctive greenish-yellow, orange or red stems depending on the cultivar. They bear white flowers in spring and summer followed by white berries in autumn.

Use  make a great winter garden, plant along side grases such as Carex and Stipa

Cultivation: Plant in well-drained soil in sun or partial shade.  Prune down to ground in March to ensure good winter stem colour.

3 Great Winter gardens to see this Winter

Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-angleseyabbeyandgardenandlodemill/w-angleseyabbeyandgardenandlodemill-explore_garden.htm

Sir Harold Hillier Garden, Romsey, Hampshire

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hilliergardens/hilliergardens-gardentour/hilliergardens-wintergarden.htm

Syon Park – Enchanted Woodland (illuminated woodland walk – evenings only)

http://www.syonpark.co.uk/enchanted_woodland.htm

 

4th December – Cyclamen

Botanical name: Cyclamen hederifolium or Cyclamen coum

Other names: Ivy-leaved cyclamen, Neapolitan cyclamen, Sowbread or  Eastern cyclamen, Round-leaved cyclamen

Cyclamen   There are many cultivar of the Cyclamen and all are great for colour through Autumn and Winter.  The flower colours are predominately pink but range from deep almost red right through to white.  The leaves of hederifolium have white markings similar to Ivy.

Use :  Great in containers, but also ideal for rockery and woodland planting areas. Indoor varieties are also available and are great in an enclosed porch.  I plant it amongst Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ which helps the black grass stand out.

Cultivation: Grown in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil in sun or partial shade.

 

3rd December – Skimmia

Botanical name:  Skimmia japonica ‘Nymans’

Other names: Skimmia ‘Nymans’

Ist December – Callicarpa

 

Other names: Beauty berry ‘Profusion’

Callicarpa is a deciduous shrub . Its grown mainly for its striking purple fruit which will last from Autumn to winter on bare stems.  The foliage emerges in Spring with a purplish tint and will change colour again in autumn from green to rosy red.  Its flowers in summer are pale purple but insignificant

Use :  I would plant this at the back of a border for summer structure, with herbaceous perennials in front.  I would also make sure that it was located in a position visible in winter so you can appreciate the berries.  It can be useful in flower arrangements and provides an alternative to red berries in a Christmas wreath or table decoration.

Cultivation: Plant in fertile, free draining soil in full sun or light shade. Provide shelter from cold, drying winds.

 

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