Our Head Gardener points out what to look out for this December…

December is a good month for scent; Daphne bholua has perfume-scented flowers once they are fully open. Quite often, on a day with a slight breeze, you may notice the scent whilst wandering in the arboretum. You may also smell the yellow flowers of Mahonia japonica, often known as Japanese mahonia.

Bamboo stem colour is impressive this time of year; look out for Borinda papyrifera and Borinda lushuiensis, each with unique blue stems which make quite the talking point. Worth looking out for too is Phyllostachys vivax ‘Aureocaulis’ with its golden yellow canes which stand out from afar.

The white stems of Betula utilis ‘Grayswood Ghost’ and ‘Silver Shadow’ stand out on a dull day, whilst the many different varieties of Cornus – grown for their ornamental stem effect – come to light at this time of year as well; look out for Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ with its bright orange stems.

The eye-catching colours of the ornamental stems on Acer palmatum ‘Bi Hoo’ and the red prickly stems of Rubus phoenicolasius (Japanese Wineberry) glow on a sunny winter’s day.

 

Finally, later in the month we’ll start to see the tips of snowdrops and Hellebores beginning to flower, as well as vibrant purple/pink Cyclamen along ‘Her Ladyships Walk’, the entrance path into the arboretum. Shoots and flower buds of Narcissus ‘January Gold’ will also start to appear; it’s not unusual for this daffodil to start flowering at the end of December.