There is no time more difficult as a gardener financially than January. The extravagances of Christmas are over and it is cold and dark and sometimes wet as well.
These conditions are not conducive to gardening and so the stream of work becomes a trickle. People rightly ask ‘ What do you do in the winter?’. Well I listen to MR James ghost stories, try to indulge my fantasy of being a gardening writer, spread manure on my allotment, empty my compost bin and walk on Hampstead Heath or in Richmond park. It would be quite pleasant if I was paid for it!
Having said that January is a time when you can prune wisteria and I do get some work doing that now although it doesn’t take long! Unfortunately I don’t know anyone with a wisteria walk or a 50 metre wisteria covered wall. To prune a wisteria you basically cut back all the long tendrils to 2 or 3 buds to encourage flowering in May. You should not touch any spurs unless they are dead, diseased or dying….
There are some horticultural highlights to look out for now. Cornus and Willow stems always look very cheerful in the January snow and Contorted hazels have produced their catkins by now. I am also very fond of the white birch (Betula utilis jacquemontii) and the sweet scent of Lonicera x purpusii. Witchhazel can also look very impressive when in flower and smells wonderful.
But I think my favourite winter highlight is variegated ivy especially when it is covered in frost. My particular favourite is Hedera colchica ‘Dentata Variegata’. Look out for its startling lushness this January!
A gardener out of this world 