Keep Your Garden Blooming in Winter!

By Karlie Simmonds

Christmas is a time for plants and pretty flowers! We look to gardening expert Nicky Roeber for advice on all things green fingered!

It’s been a busy year for Nicky Roeber, being the Online Horticultural Expert at Wyevale Garden Centres. However, he was happy to stop and share some wonderful advice with our readers.

What are the best flowers to plant in winter? Are Poinsettia as poisonous as they’re rumoured to be? Are you allowed to garden on Christmas Day? All of these questions, and more, are answered below!

What grew your love of gardening? (We’re not sorry for the pun!)

There are many reasons why I love gardening so much, but just some of them are:

The sense of well-being and the connection with the living environment
The joy, happiness, and satisfaction of seeing the results of your efforts
The transformation of the outdoor room from a drab empty space into a colourful tranquil haven

What is your favourite plant/ flower?

I have so many favourite plants, so it’s tough to choose! But, pushed to make one choice, my favourite has to be the hardy Geraniums (cranesbills). They come in a myriad of colours, sizes, and forms that can thrive in sun, shade, and everything in between. No garden should be without at least two species.

What are the best plants to flower in winter?

The best flowering plants for the winter should not only bring colour to lift your spirits on a grey winter day, but fragrance as well. My must-have winter flower is the gorgeous (and easy to grow) Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ — clusters of soft pink flowers bloom on the bare stems on and off throughout the winter. These have a sweet fragrance that will fill your garden with their heady scent for weeks on end.

Are there any tips you’d give to people who buy Poinsettias at Christmas time? Are they as poisonous as people think?

Poinsettias are much less poisonous than reported. If eaten in quantity, they can cause mild vomiting. But, in short, there’s really nothing to worry about. Buy large, well-branched plants that, ideally, are British grown. Keep them away from drafts and don’t overwater.

Do you have a real or artificial Christmas tree? And what goes on top of it?

Today’s artificial trees look fantastic but, for now, I still have a real tree. When my eldest daughter who’s now 19 was a child, she made a large star covered with aluminium foil and glitter for the top of the Christmas tree. It is a treasured possession that tops the tree every year!

Is there a time when you wouldn’t garden at Christmas time? (Bad weather, too muddy/cold?)

The one thing that keeps me out of the garden is wet weather. It’s not good for me and, more importantly, it’s not good for the garden. Trampling around on wet soil is not good for it.

What are your plans for Christmas Day?

We plan to spend Christmas at our cottage in Oxfordshire. I will see the garden through the window, but I don’t think I would be forgiven if I was to garden on Christmas day!