House & Home
in semi- shade in a moisture retentive soil – they don’t like to dry out completely.
If you’d like them to spread, Galanthus ‘ Magnet’ is a taller vigorous variety that quickly forms good clumps. And if you have some already and wish to increase your stock, lift and divide them after they have flowered.
Queen of the winter shrubs is the camellia with its rich, glossy, dark foliage. It provides a superb background for snowy white peony- like blossoms of ‘ Silver Anniversary’ which have golden stamens at their centre, or ‘ White Snowman’ which has fragrant white semi- double flowers in early winter and bronze- red juvenile foliage.
Camellias prefer acidic earth and their leaves will go a sickly yellow in alkaline soil, so plant in pots with ericaceous compost if your garden soil isn’t suitable.
A little bit of shade is good. Protect young buds from cold wintry winds. Also, early morning sun should be avoided, so don’t plant your camellia so it faces to the east.
The small white flowers of Sarcococca confusa, or sweet box, may not dazzle you but the scent certainly will – it’s a luxuriant fragrance that hangs in the air.
There’s also white forsythia, Abeliophyllum, which bursts into bloom much earlier than the better known yellow forsythia. These delicately scented white flowers are borne on bare branches mid- winter and have an Oriental elegance. The shrub originates in Korea but is close to extinction in its native habitat.
Winter flowering heathers are also in bloom at the moment. While in general many heathers prefer acidic soil, quite a few of the winter flowerers will tolerate neutral to alkaline soil and there are some beautiful white varieties such as ‘ Springwood White’. Also, ‘ White Perfection’ has very pure white flowers that contrast beautifully with its bright green foliage.
Heathers make great ground cover plants but make sure they don’t dry out, for example if you are planting them on a sloping bank which can get bone dry.
They’re low maintenance and just need a light shearing directly after flowering.
Don’t cut back into old wood, just lop off the flowers and a bit of the greenery.
And finally we have Helleborus to enjoy.
This is a plant that will work most of the year for you with its attractive evergreen foliage and shy nodding flowers which commence mid- winter and often stay on the plant as late as May.
It works very well in those tricky shady areas and there are delightful white cultivars such as Wintergold which look lovely planted by a pathway. It’s a sign that your garden is waking up for spring, or maybe never went to sleep completely!