THE WEATHER -

January 1st was a lovely day, with relatively mild temperatures, and sun all day, a real change from the sub-zero temperatures of the last week of December. However, by the 4th, it had turned very cold with a bitter wind. A mixed bag of weather for the rest of the month, with mild spells alternating with very cold spells and hard frosts by night. Not much rain though, and no snow! Maximum temperature 10°C (50°F), minimum temperature minus 5°C (26°F).

One shrub which is an absolute must in the winter garden is Hamamelis. It's a medium sized and fairly slow growing deciduous shrub, which never outgrows its welcome! I've got three different ones in the garden, and this is my latest acquisition. It is Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane'. This has beautiful deep rusty orange flowers clustered along the bare branches, and like all Hamamelis is divinely scented!

Nandina domestica is a lovely evergreen shrub, which at this time of the year bears clusters of shiny bright red berries which really stand out in the garden. Its common name is "Heavenly Bamboo", although it isn't a bamboo, of course! It flowers in summer, with panicles of star shaped white flowers with prominent yellow anthers. Depending on where it's planted, it also produces lovely autumn colours, so you get lots of value from this plant.

It is a fact that many winter-flowering plants are highly scented, and this one is no exception. This is the Christmas Box, which rejoices in the unpronounceable botanical name of Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna. It is an evergreen shrub with narrow leathery green leaves and arching stems. It is quite unremarkable for the majority of the time, but at this time of the year it produces the most wonderfully scented white flowers. The scent is very powerful, and one small sprig will scent a whole room.

Whilst wandering round a local garden centre recently, I found these unusual shrubs, and just had to buy them! They are both varieties of Correa, commonly known as Australian Fuchsia. They are evergreen shrubs which are half-hardy, requiring a sheltered position outdoors, or the protection of a greenhouse or conservatory. The ones pictured above are (right) Correa decumbens 'Dusky Bells', which flowers from autumn through to spring, and (left) Correa alba, which generally flowers earlier, but mine is in full flower now! I hope I can find them a place where they will be happy, as they are certainly lovely plants to have in flower at this time of year.

That's all for this month...... Happy Gardening!!

Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Crow, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Robin, Rook, Seagull, Starling, Thrush, Wood Pigeon, Wren.

THE SNOWDROP
Anna Laetitia Barbauld