Choose something different for loved ones with the gift that keeps on giving
FOURTEEN years ago this week, I had just been unceremoniously booted off Strictly for crimes against dance. But nothing could wipe the smile from my face because in the same week back then, my wife gave birth to our glorious daughter.
To celebrate our winter baby we planted a tree. Now, like the baby, it’s grown, but into a mature witch hazel that’s just about to spread its joy through flower and scent.
While nothing can compare to the blooming delight of our daughter, the Hamamelis is a true joy.
Every year at this time I look to that plant growing happily in the garden and I’m grateful that we took the time in the middle of the glitzy mania to mark the occasion in such a way.
Plants are great for occasions. People often ask me for suggestions when they wish to mark a significant event.
In the coming weeks we’ll give plenty as gifts, but for the coming year I’d love to give you my choices for some beautiful plants, ideal for special occasions, to commemorate comings and goings, or to give as gifts for landmark birthdays and anniversaries. Cherry trees are revered in Japan, celebrated for their fleeting beauty, symbolic of life itself, and make attractive and poignant presents. I have many favourites in this category but will single out Tai Haku, the great white cherry, as one of the best. Its crown spreads broadly so needs space to stretch its Camellia Silver Anniversary limbs, and you’ll be dazzled by its large, pure white blossoms.
For a smaller garden, Shogetsu is a delightful cherry with bunches of drooping pale pink blossoms. It’s very popular as a wedding gift, its common name being Blushing Bride!
Anther bridal possibility is Exochorda The Bride, a wonderful spring-flowering shrub bedecked with white blossoms.
Or gift the happy couple with Rosa Congratulations – this is a rich pink, repeat flowering hybrid tea rose.
Celebrate milestones with Camellia Silver Anniversary – pure white peony blooms with golden stamens in late winter and beautiful evergreen leaves all- year round. Rosa Golden celebration could cover a number of occasions from retirement to 50 years of wedlock. This David Austin English rose has rich golden blossoms with an intense fragrance to match.
And to celebrate that special woman in your life, Rosa Mum in a Million is a very popular hybrid tea rose with scented pink roses – the perfect gift for birthdays or Mothering Sunday.
You can have fun searching for aptly named plants – there’s so much to choose from. Want to give your Auntie Marjorie something personalised?
There’s Clematis Marjorie, a very nice one too, an early flowering creamy pink variety.
Magnolias make gorgeous gifts as well. Here I’d recommend Magnolia Merrill which has a fairly upright habit and is suitable for small gardens. It’s a bit like the Star Magnolia but with wider petals that have a blush pink at the base – fragrant, delicate and very special.
Another way to celebrate someone is to do a tree dedication. Support the work of leading woodland conservation charity, The Woodland Trust, and for £20 you can choose a tree in one of their woodlands and they will send a personalised occasion certificate, map and wood information sheet. For further info, visit woodlandtrust.org.uk