Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2014/January 2015 | Page 61

GARDENING

Bring your garden
to life this winter

A

s we embrace the mid winter
months, we enjoy the moment,
and all of this season’s treats: cold,
crisp mornings, the company of a robin
following your every move looking for an
easy meal, and the occasional splash of
colour found in the borders.
The garden doesn’t have to be a
dull place in winter. It can be brought
alive with scents, textures and vibrant
colours. There are many plants and
shrubs that can tolerate the harsh winter
environment and yet provide benefits.
For example hamamelis (witch hazel)
produces bright crinkly flowers, hellebore
(Christmas rose) for its foliage and classic
flowers, sarcococca for its fragrance,
mahonia with its vibrant flowers and
architectural appearance and cornus for
its vivid stem colour.
Although many believe that winter is a
quiet time of the year in the garden, here
at Quarr there is always something to do.
I always bank those ‘rainy day’ jobs such
as polytunnel work, log splitting and tool
maintenance for when the harsh weather
really kicks in. But while it’s fair there’s the
long list to work through.
Current jobs within the walled garden
include pruning the apple and pear
trees and giving them a good mulch;
cropping the winter vegetables from the
polytunnels, and keeping an eye on the
winter salad supply. The climbing roses
are getting a thorough prune. Removing

any dead wood and some of the older
stems will revitalise the plant and
promote new growth lower down. Then
a good mulch at the base will prepare
the soil around the roots for the plant to
flourish in spring.
The ‘dormant’ season is the perfect
time to plant out bare root trees. We
are planting a new orchard with many
different heritage and local varieties.
Once planting has taken place, one must
remember the after-care of the tree.
This is very important for the success
of the specimen. Whether it is a fruit,
an ornamental or a woodland tree, it is
essential to follow up with maintenance,
checking the stake is still supporting the
tree, that the tree tie is not too tight or
too loose and that any tree guard is still in
place and not causing any restriction.
With newly planted fruit trees and
some ornamentals it is important to feed
regularly around the tree base and with all
plantings to make sure the specimens are
watered in dry spells as the roots will not
have developed sufficiently to cope alone.
Elsewhere around the estate we have
been continuing to clear the woodland
paths from fallen tree debris and leaves.
We are currently preparing to return our
largest copse back into a working coppice
woodland. This will create a sustainable
source of woodland produce while
sustaining the valuable habitat within.
Pictures by Matt Noyce

Matt Noyce is
head gardener
at Quarr Abbey,
and is responsible
for the 200 acres
of gardens,
pastureland,
vegetable plot and
private woodland
on the estate.

www.visitilife.com

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