PLANT YOUR BORDER
In an ideal world you’d give this planting a sunny or only lightly shaded, fertile site that combines humus-rich soil and good drainage. However, in reality, these early bulbs are fairly amenable as long as they’re not left to sit in winter wet. Open up the soil by incorporating lots of well-rotted compost or leafmould. On heavier ground consider adding grit and raising the level of the bed. In future years mulch with compost or leafmould annually before the bulbs start to appear in late autumn or early winter.
1 Establish the witch hazel
Plant these grafted, slow-growing trees during a mild spell while the ground is workable, from autumn to spring. If you’re on heavier ground, hold off planting until April, and add plenty of grit. Give the witch hazel room to grow so you can appreciate its sculptural shape. Think about background plants too; the copper-orange flowers glow all the brighter against an evergreen backdrop. To plant, water the compost well and make sure the top of the compost is level with the soil surface so the graft union stays above the soil. Water in well and finish with a weed-free mulch. Keep an eye on plants in their first year, watering deeply during prolonged dry spells. Witch hazels are usually left unpruned, but you can do a little shaping straight after f lowering.
2 Add the box and holly
Choose your box from a reliable supplier, since box blight remains a worry. If you’ve already suffered this disease in your garden, choose an alternative such as Ilex crenata, Lonicera nitida or yew (Taxus baccata). Dig a hole slightly deeper and twice as wide as each container and work in further well-rotted organic matter. Water the compost well before planting and lightly tease out the roots. Holly in particular resents disturbance and tends to be slow growing for the first few years, so try to get the planting site right from the outset. Make sure both shrubs don’t dry out during their first summer.
To ensure a crisp shape, box topiary and hedges can be clipped in June and again in September. Prune the holly lightly to shape in late winter or early spring. These two shrubs both benefit from a sprinkling of general purpose fertiliser and a mulch in spring.
3 Finish with the bulbs and corms
Because crocus, leucojums, snowdrops and winter aconites are such small plants, invest in a large number to get the desired sweep of colour. In future years they’ll begin to self-sow and spread themselves. Bury crocus corms 7cm (2½in) deep in a gritty, well-drained soil and cover with wire mesh to deter squirrels. To divide established clumps, mark the flowers and wait until the foliage dies back in April or May, lift and replant immediately. Snowflakes, snowdrops and winter aconites establish better if planted ‘in the green’ in late winter or early spring. Order plants from specialist nurseries and get them in the ground as soon as possible after they arrive. If you do buy them dry, plant swiftly and avoid packets that look like they’ve have been lurking on a garden centre shelf for weeks.
Dig up established clumps shortly after flowering, split and move them around the garden. Resist tidying away old leaves and let the plants die back naturally instead . ✿