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paddy devlin
Posts: 7
in Talkback
Any suggestions for plants that I can grow in a border and pots on a patio that will give color and interest around Christmas and new year
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Violas or winter flowering pansies
yip! violas and pansies for vibrant colour and cheeriness. you could also consider something a bit more low key by choosing a more select colour of viola/pansy rather than the "loud" mixes and planting up with variegated ivy and maybe some of the brighter heuchera/heucherella. some smaller bulbs such as crocus and dwarf tulip could extend your colour right through til Spring without having to re-do.
aw....hellebores....my favourite. how could i have forgotten those!?!? i even have them sitting ready to go!!!!
You've done it now Steve - mentioning the 'C' word in September
I use a lot of evergreens for structure throughout the year so you may want to try a few of those as a backbone for more of the brightly coloured plants. Variegated foliage in particular is a tonic on a dull day in December. I use Phormiums, Heucheras and Euonymous to set off other things, especially bulbs in late winter/early spring.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Things with berries too, like Skimmia, Gaultheria/Pernettya and cotoneasters. Lots of different ones of these, so you can choose one that suits your needs and can be kept to size by pruning, or can be grown as a standard or against a wall or fence. Variegated Pieris 'Little Heath' is nice and doesn't get too big and Japanese azaleas, the evergreen sort, make a good backdrop for brighter things and are then a blaze of colour in spring. I cut dogwood stems to stick in pots for a touch of extra colour too, though you may find they root! And as it's that time you're thinking of, there's always holly, ivy and small conifers!