…. more than you’d expect.
January can have its own beautiful array of plants and flowers, if you know what to keep your eye out for. For me, the most spectacular is ‘witch hazel’ (Hamamelis). There are plenty of varieties with variations in size and colour.
They also have an amazing scent which fills the air around them.
Some Cyclamen will also flower in January, as will the earliest snow drops and some types of Hellebore such as ‘Anna’s Red’
With careful planting, you could see your garden come back to life even in this early stage of the year. Try planting up an area under some trees – Cyclamen are woodland plants, and ‘Winter Aconite’ (Earnthis Hyemalis) will also thrive in the thinner grass which grows under trees. Winter Aconite is often the first perennial of the year and is surprisingly resistant to cold weather and even snow.
There are vegetables also which will provide a vibrant display even in January. Winter Cabbages have become so fashionable I’ve even seen window box displays of them, but my favourite vegetable, for providing colour in Winter, has to be Chard.
All these photos were taken 07/01/17 at RHS Garden Wisley. Which from the 14th of January will have its beautiful ‘Butterflies in the Glasshouse’ event. Well worth a visit.
