Often wrongly perceived as a drab time in the garden,winter gardens are full of gentle colours and heavenly scents, with jonquils and daphne, camellias and hellabores, primula and pansies all enjoying the winter sunshine, while in the native garden hardenbergia, grevillea, leptospermum and wattle are all putting on a glorious display.
With careful planning it is possible to have a beautiful and fragrant garden all year round.

In the vegetable patch continue to foliar fertilise onions, cabbage, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts to keep them growing as days lengthen.
Watch for caterpillars which appear this month and spray with Dipel.
Good rain and moist conditions in the garden also mean slugs and snails, they will defoliate seedlings very quickly if left unchecked.
Broad beans should be making good growth now and will also appreciate some foliar fertiliser. A late sowing of these beans is still possible and will ensure plenty of beans for eating and freezing.

Plant lettuce, beetroot, peas, onion, cauliflower, cabbage, asparagus and broccoli.
Prepare beds for spring planting, dig in any green manure crops and cover with a thick layer of sheep manure or compost.

In the ornamental garden continue bare root planting of roses, there are few gardens which do not have room for a rose or two tucked among the other plants and a hedge of roses in full bloom can be a breathtaking sight.
We have some old favourites like the hard to obtain “Sally Holmes”, as well as “Iceberg” and “Just Joey” and many many more. Newer varieties, such as the coppery pink “Elle”, fragrant “Spirit of Peace”, “Violena”, “Red Intuition” and “Maggie T”which of course is a beautiful white rose.
For fans of David Austin roses we still have some varieties left, so don’t miss out on these stunning English roses.
Try planting Agapanthus “Black Pantha” with some of the Austin pink roses for a wonderful colour contrast.
Seedlings for spring and summer colour should be planted now, Aquilegia, Penstemon, Strawflower, English Daisy, Alyssum, Verbena, Primula, Poppy, Pansy and Snapdragon.
Water in with seaweed solution and keep them growing strongly with fortnightly applications of foliar fertiliser.
We also have bare rooted Liriope muscari, fantastic for borders, tough and colourful.
Echium Candicans has long showy swords of flowers in spring. Good for coastal and dry conditions, they will grow in sandy and poor soils however good quality soil will produce the best results.

Grown from seed each plant varies and will feature a single colour of either blue, mauve, lilac or white.
If you have not as yet divided perennials take the opportunity in late winter to lift and divide and they should make strong growth in early spring.
For bluer hydrangeas use hydrangea blueing compound this month and repeat again in September and October
Camellias can be trimmed as they finish flowering.

For a specimen tree in the garden it is difficult to surpass the weeping standards, whether placed beside a garden pond or pool, a garden statue or birdbath, as a feature in a parterre garden or simply placed in a sweep of lawn these graceful tree are spectacular whatever the season.
Choose from Weeping birch, Mulberry, Peach, Cherry and many other varieties.
For brilliant autumn foliage Pyrus ussuriensis, the Manchurian Pear, is a small to medium sized deciduous tree, which has a pyramidal shape. For a specimen tree or planted along a driveway or avenue they are most attractive.

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Tree Lucerne. (Chamaecytisus palmensis)

Tree lucerne sometimes known as tagasaste, is a leguminous perennial shrub or small tree which is native to the Canary Islands.
The long drooping branches have grey/green trifoliate leaves and the flowers are white followed by seed pods.
Best suited to mild temperate or semi arid climates it is tough and drought resistant and because it is deep rooting is useful to help control saline soils and prevent soil erosion.
It will not tolerate poorly drained or water logged soils.
As a fodder crop it yields 10 tonnes per hectare of edible leaf and stem and makes good dual purpose fodder and windbreak plantings or fire retardant hedges.
Plants can be grazed or cut one year after planting to encourage a multi stemmed plant.
It is useful fodder for cattle, sheep, goats and pigs and is excellent in permaculture gardens for planting in chicken runs for chicken forage, or as a nectar source for beekeepers.
Foliage contains 17.22 percent crude protein and fresh regrowth about 25.29 percent crude protein, this provides high quality fodder which is best harvested during Summer and Autumn when regrowth is strong.
For those establishing a home woodlot it is an excellent dense firewood tree which produces a very hot fire.

 

 

In the native garden

Brachysema lanceolatum (Swan River Pea) is a West Australian native which grows to 1.5m tall.
It is fast growing and hardy and is perfect for filling a bare spot in the garden. Leaves are dark green and the undersides are silvery contrasting beautifully with the scarlet flowers which appear in winter and spring and sometimes throughout the year.
Many grevilleas are flowering now, adaptable and easy to grow they have a long flowering period and attract nectar eating birds to the garden.
They vary in size from prostate ground covers, small to large shrubs and the largest is the striking Grevillea robusta the Silky oak.
Grevillea “Strawberry Sundae” which has pink toned flowers G.”Cherry Ripe has as the name suggests cherry coloured flowers, and G. Jubilee with bright orange flowers are all a great addition to the garden.
Correa “Little Cate’ has dainty pale pink bells very pretty in a cottage garden.
Leptospermun “Aphrodite” has deep pink flowers with a white centre and green eye, a very different and attractive leptospermum.
Hardenbergia Violacea “Mini Ha Ha” has deep violet pea shaped flowers in late winter and early spring, it grows in full sun to light shade and prefers well drained soil.
As`with most natives prune after flowering to maintain a bushy habit.
Some summer watering is necessary until established.

 

 

 

In the home orchard consider including some nut trees, most are high in calories, rich in fats and proteins and contain varying amounts of minerals, carbohydrate and vitamins as well as traces of essential elements such as selenium.
Edible tree nuts are found in most major climatic regions of the world with the exception of the arctic and Antarctic.
Because of their nutritional value interest has increased in producing nuts for food in modern day diets.

Almonds
Almonds grow into quite large trees, like a well drained soil, and should be winter pruned to encourage a low growth profile, and to develop as many branches on the tree as possible.
The variety “Brand’s Jordon” has very upright growth.
The first of the stone fruits to flower, they are susceptible to midwinter and early spring frosts which may kill the flowers.
Most almonds are self infertile and need two different cultivars for pollination, however there is one cultivar available which is self fertile.
Water your tree well after planting with a seaweed solution to encourage the roots to establish.
Harvest when the outside husk begins to split at the end of summer and store in a cool dry place.
Almonds supply B group vitamins, vitamin E as well as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, folic acid, amino acids and protein.

 

 

 

Chestnuts
Chestnuts are attractive trees providing shade in summer and glorious autumn colour, large at maturity they respond well to pruning to reduce tree size.
They need well drained soil and will not tolerate water logging.
Nuts are enclosed in a prickly husk which are harvested when they fall from the tree.
They have a lower fat content than other nuts and contain protein, amino acids, vitamins E, C, and the B group as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper.
They also provide calcium, potassium, zinc and selenium.

Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana)
A bush or small tree, hazelnuts have both male and female flowers.
All species are self infertile therefore need another plant nearby to produce nuts.
Best in areas which have cold winters and cooler summers and a dry autumn during the harvest months.
They like well drained fertile soil and can be planted 3-4m apart or grown as a hedge.
Mulch well and provide summer watering when nuts are forming.
Moisture stress and strong winds are not well tolerated.
Rich in vitamin E, they also supply the B group vitamins, calcium and potassium, zinc and selenium.
Harvest when the nuts fall from the tree

Walnuts (Juglans spp)
Walnut trees require a warm summer and cool winter and deep well drained soil. In heavy clay soils they should be planted on a mound to ensure adequate drainage.
Water in well with seaweed fertilizer to encourage root formation.
High in fats and oil they provide phosphorus, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, C, E and the B group vitamins.
Harvest when the husks split from the shell or as they fall from the tree.
Still time to plant fruit trees so get in quickly before stock becomes depleted and the opportunity is lost until next year.

Spray all stone fruits with Bordeaux as buds begin to swell, this is probably the most important time to spray fruit.

Now is an excellent time to organize stocks of mulch in readiness for spring and the warmer months to follow.
Check stakes on trees and shrubs in preparation for the stronger winds at this time of the year.
A good time also to check irrigation systems are in good working order.

Gardeners have been heartened by the sight of puddles and the increased rain this month.
Rug up, put on the gum boots and like your plants enjoy the winter weather.