Gardening in December
Winter bedding plants
December is a great month to keep the colour going in your garden, that will last all winter with cold hardy plants. Plant up pansies, violas, heucheras and primroses, and remember that these plants will grow just as well in pots or hanging baskets as in beds in your garden. With Christmas just around the corner, brighten up your front door with beautiful flowering pots!
Decorate the inside of your house this month with Irish grown poinsettias - they add a touch of real class this Christmas. And don’t forget to get a real Christmas tree as well, and fill your house with that Christmas aroma.
Pot of the month
A holly bush with red berries would make a lovely festive addition to your front door this month. It’s simple but so effective. Add a strand of tinsel as we get closer to Christmas to complete the look.
You could also go with a simple lime green dwarf conifer in a pot – your garden center will be able to help you pick out the right plant and pot. Then you can decorate your little tree with Christmas decorations, and it can be a focal point for your balcony or front door or front garden. You can keep the tree, and bring it out every year at Christmas, repotting it as it grows.
Perennials
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The Christmas rose, Helleborus niger, is one of the few perrenials that flowers in white and purple colours at this time of year, and as well as being pretty, provides a valuable food source for any active pollinators. They do very well in pots, as well as in beds. They like a heavier wet soil, in partial shade, and sheltered from the wind.
Fruit and Vegetables
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Plant up bare rooted fruit trees this month – try apples and pears, in the ground or a large pot, for fruit next autumn. Plant two different varieties of both to ensure they are pollinated. If you are planting in a pot, go for a dwarf variety.