November 2000

These are November Photographs

These are November  Notes

Rain, rain, rain, well what else could I start with this month, but did it stop me getting out and doing all those jobs in the garden? You bet it did, still no need to panic most of the main stuff is finished and the tidying up of bits and pieces,  dead stalks and such like can be done on any decent day.

Time now to rely on the evergreens to carry us through to new growth in the spring. I enjoy watching all the trees, shrubs and perennials burst into growth, but would be lost without some greenery to carry me through the next three or four months.  All the plants in the photo will remain much the same throughout the winter, except of course for the Sedum hanging on in the foreground. The two upright conifers are Juniperus communis Compressa and only reach a height of about three feet (90cm) in twenty or so years. The golden one to the right and the green one to the left I cannot name but they are both the same age as the larger Juniper. 

Juniperus communis compressa is almost certainly one of the smallest upright conifers, but is surprisingly easy to grow from cuttings. Take small pieces about one inch (2.5cm) from the mid part of the plant. If taken from the top they will produce a more vigorous plant and if taken from the bottom may not grow upright. Apply hormone rooting compound and pot up about five to a three inch (7.5cm) pot in very sandy compost. Cover with plastic and leave until next spring by which time most of them will have rooted. You will need to check periodically to make sure the compost has not dried out.

This is another supposedly dwarf conifer, a spreader this time. I suppose it is reasonably dwarf but covers an area about three feet (90cm) in diameter after twenty years. It is a good blue/grey colour all year round and like the most Junipers will stand a certain amount of drought, and obviously is not too concerned by  wet conditions either to survive this year. Name, Juniperus squamata Blue Star.

Semperviviums also provide form at a low level over winter and are entirely hardy in this country provided they are not waterlogged. They grow very well raised above ground level as these are in the terracotta herb pot, which like many of it's kind is not frost resistant, in spite of being sold as such. A  crack appeared in it this spring after our very mild winter.

A good plant to provide some variation in leaf form is Viburnum davidii. Notice the deep ribbing giving the leaves structure to help them withstand the weight of snow. The flowers are nondescript and mine does not bear the blue berries, for that you must have both male and female plants. Worth having for it's solid form and, in spite of what many books say, I find that it almost always looks good.

Good for ground cover, climbing a fence or growing as a low bush, Euonymus fortunei Emerald 'n' Gold is an easy, eye catching shrub for most situations and glows in the winter sun. I grow mine as a bush near one of the ponds and it only requires a light trim each year to keep it tidy and of course no autumn leaf fall to worry about.

An intruder is this one, not evergreen at all, more everbrown. This is part of my Beech hedge and, as you can see, is a mix of gold and brown at the moment. The brown leaves stay on all winter and provide a very good windbreak. It requires trimming twice a year to keep it in check, but is useful if you require a tall hedge and don't fancy conifers.

The promise of spring wrapped tightly in those red buds on the Rhododendron, contrasting  beautifully with the neat rounded leaves. Again this is a dwarf slow grower so very little needed in the way of maintenance. Of course it demands acid, moisture retentive soil, but will tolerate more sun and drier conditions than many of it's larger relatives.

An even more dwarf Rhododendron that brings yet another scale to the winter leaf parade. These are tiny little leaves only about half an inch (1.2cm) long and once again you can see the tiny springtime packages in the centre of each leaf cluster.

These are November Photographs

These are November  Notes