After a long year tending to our garden, December is the time for us to put our feet up with a spring catalogue and enjoy the winter’s tracery. During colder days we can sit back with a hot chocolate in hand, topped with toasty marshmallows and admire the lingering frost on summers faded perennial seed heads. I love nothing more than sitting indoors on a frosty day, looking out onto my garden, enjoying the winter silhouettes. Pure bliss!
In December, we can finally see the fruits of our years labour. Sprouts are ready to be picked and our parsnips are sitting patiently ready for Christmas dinner after being lovingly coaxed over summer and autumn. Holly is ready to be harvested, giving us berries for Christmas garlands and Christmas wreaths; you can stand them in a bucket of water until you’re ready to use them.
If the ground isn’t frozen or cold and wet, you can still take the opportunity to plant tulip bulbs or shrubs for winter interest such as Sarcoccoca confusa. You can also plant winter containers with hardy cyclamen such as Cyclamen ‘hederifolium’ to add a dash of colour to your garden in the bleaker months.
December is the perfect time to prune fruit trees to maintain an open, balanced structure and encourage quality fruit production. However you should wait until the summer to prune plums, cherries and other stone fruits as winter pruning will make them susceptible to silver leaf fungus.
Whilst you are sitting back and enjoying your winter gardens, there is no need to be panicking about Christmas! Why not take the time to browse our Christmas gifts including our new gardening gifts range. You will find gifts for gardeners, gifts for him, gifts for her and even gifts for stocking fillers!
What do you enjoy most about your garden in winter?
To find out what you can do to in the garden in December take a look at our full guide here.
Terri works in the e-commerce marketing department assisting the busy web team. Terri manages our blog and social media pages here at Thompson & Morgan and is dedicated to providing useful advice to our gardeners. Terri is new to gardening and keen to develop her horticultural knowledge.
Please can you advice me I want to make a wildlife garden for bees buterflys and help birds ,so I have no idea on the right plants you can grow ,trees ,want to see more creatures,thank you for your help:-)
Hi Janice. Many thanks for your comment. We have an extensive selection of articles on how to create a wildlife garden. Including how to encourage birds, bees and butterfly’s. Here is the link for you; https://www.thompson-morgan.com/wildlife-gardening Hope that helps. Best wishes, Terri