We use cookies on this website. To use the website as intended please accept cookies.

Thursday March 28 , 2024

Blue Daisy Blog

Blue Daisy blog written by Nicki Jackson & Jules Clark - for news, views, garden design, gardening and plant observations and thoughts.

December Garden Advice

Posted by on in Gardening
  • Font size: Larger Smaller
  • Hits: 45097
  • 0 Comments
  • Subscribe to this entry
  • Print

robinWith Christmas fast approaching us the general pace of work in the garden is much more relaxed as there is a lot less urgency for jobs to be completed now. Many people think that there is nothing to do in December but you’d be surprised! It’s a great time for pruning woody ornamental plants, fruit trees and bushes because they are in their dormant period. Now that the leaves have almost finished dropping you can really see what you’re doing and can check to see if there is any dead or diseased wood to prune out. Don’t prune your Cornus (Dogwoods) though because their stem colour gives us some striking winter interest for our gardens.

Keep clearing any fallen leaves and save for leaf mould. Even though there are fewer garden pests and diseases around at this time of year keeping one step ahead of your garden hygiene – even in December – will reduce pest and disease problems in the spring and summer. If you find anything diseased you should really burn it rather than putting it in the compost heap. Remember too to leave a few areas undisturbed for overwintering beneficial insects like ladybirds.

Greenhouse and cold frame hygiene is also high on the list this month as the moist atmosphere is a perfect breeding ground for moulds and other diseases. Insulating your greenhouse or cold frame with bubble wrap will conserve heat for those overwintering plants you’ve brought in or if you’re getting ahead with any newly sewn seeds for next year.

You’ll find that whenever you’re out and about in the garden this month you’re likely to be followed around by a Robin looking for worms or insects that you may have disturbed. Winter is a difficult time for birds, so don’t forget to feed them regularly and give them clean water to bathe as they do become quite dependent on you to survive especially in the deep cold of winter (if it happens this year!  It's been super mild again so far.)

For those of you that don’t want to go out into the garden you could start to think about what you want to do with the garden next year. Make a list of any plants you want to move or divide, any new plants you want to buy or seeds you want to order. Consider the different parts of your garden – are there any parts you would like to change? Would you like to add something to it, take something away, change the shape of it, incorporate vegetable beds, perhaps?

Whatever you have in mind, don’t forget that Blue Daisy can help you shape your garden with and for you, whether it is designing all or part of it and if you're not sure what you could do don't forget we also do advice sessions.  These involve an hour of Nicki's time talking about your garden with you, it's amazing the amount of information you can get in an hour...

 

 

 

 

0

Nicki Jackson is Blue Daisy's garden designer & owner. A former HR consultant Nicki still finds the time to run Blue Daisy, design gardens and planting plans, write a blog, keep our gardening clients happy and offer IIP advice and outplacement support through Blue Daisy Consultancy.

Author's recent posts

Comments

  • No comments made yet. Be the first to submit a comment

Leave your comment

Guest Thursday, 28 March 2024

Blog Categories

Tag Cloud

Cambridge botanical garden Horticulture Decking Urban Heat Island Effect Joseph Banks Shrubs cyclamen pests garden RHS Chelsea spring bulbs Chelsea Flower Show vertical garden Gardeners World basil water sweat peas Selfridges Roof Garden pollinating insects Alys Fowler Fleece Alan Titchmarsh Achillea Glasshouse hydroponic April garden hard landscaping Wildflowers surfaces colour in your garden James Wong National Gardening Week Malvern Spring Show reclaimed materials build grow your own Rachel de Thame Buxus Matt James composting HNC Charlie Dimmock drought sorbus Daffodils pollinators career in horticulture snow Hosta water conservation stonemarket Wisley Events & Shows garden design tip patio movement in the garden roof garden Laurel pond February garden CorTen steel planning your garden Bamboo form water butt birch contemporary Moss Bank Park Sophie Raworth Greenhouse Ilex winner bulbs Chris Beardshaw Kelmarsh Hall December garden green spaces garden focal points Lantra Acuba Winter shrubs Prince Harry RHS Tatton Park summer garden house plants Geranium sound in the garden Stone Lane Gardens August garden rock gardens January garden Horticultural Levens Hall ash elm gravel Herb Toby Buckland poppies ornamental grasses heatwave doddington hall rainwater harvesting Echinacea February timber eco-friendly National Trust Horticulturalist wild flowers Monty Don twitter front garden garden design trends Great British Garden Revival lawn care Kew Gardens July garden CorTen wildlife watering Seed sowing roof gardens terracota cottage garden Absorb pollution alpines November garden rococo Lawrence Johnston RHS scented shrubs Taxus Urban Heat Island Nicki Jackson Snowdrops September garden productive garden edible garden show Stoneleigh legacy gift show gardens bees topiary repetition NSALG Cosmos astrosanguineus Jekka McVicar Coastal plants saving water Joanna Lumley garden advice at home Crocus courtyard herbs New York Highline Herb garden herbaceous borders Floating Paradise Gardens of London Trees deer HTA Mrs Loudon Narcissus Garden Planning Carol Klein acer garden design paving BBC blue structure sunflowers RHS Malvern October garden Tom Hart-Dyke women and work award unity Futurescape gardening on tv Capability Brown spring garden June garden kerb-side appeal Perennial Birmingham Library May garden March garden plant pots garden room traditional style Cut flowers London Chelsea Physic Garden bulb display cottage gardens Euphorbia grey water watering can RHS Hampton Court Ashwood Nurseries Joe Swift plants kitchen garden water feature Berginia Phyllostachys nigra John Massey Highgrove rosemary ha ha Briza maxima GYO Kensington Roof Garden winter garden hosepipe Spring shrubs autumn garden Berberis Blue Daisy recycled materials Cloches Hidcote Malvern Hills

Welcome to Blue Daisy Blog



Our Promise

promiseWe work hard to keep our customers happy.  We work to a voluntary customer charter.

Peace of Mind

simplybusinessWe take our responsibilities seriously so we're insured through Simply Business.

Click on the logo for our Garden Design insurance details. For Gardening details see our gardening services page.

Proud Members Of...

landscapejuicen... The Landscape Juice Network where we interact with other professional gardeners, designers and landscapers.