Readings

Skimmia japonica

by Colour Your Life

Successful garden centres become Christmas shops now. Isn’t it amazing how much seasonal retailing has come on in the last decade. Now sophisticated Christmas experiences are on offer, frequently with artificial snow and real reindeer! One of the finest winter berrying plants at this moment is the Skimmia japonica reevesiana. This is a compact, dwarf, evergreen shrub and the crimson red fruits stay on the plant throughout winter and are especially seasonal in December.

Colour your life in December

by Colour Your Life

A wonderful month with Christmas to look forward to and decorating inside and out to enjoy. Use lots of berries and foliage for a really festive feel – plus don’t forget outside too.

Erica

Erica in society
by Colour Your Life

When I think of the word ‘Erica’ a few things come to mind – who could forget Erica Roe, the Twickenham streaker, Lou Bega’s Mambo No5 with ‘a little bit of Erica by his side’ and finally the under-sung Erica plant with its fabulous winter flowers (known popularly as heath or heather).  

Garden maintenance in november

by Colour your life

Plant beeches Beeches are best planted and replanted when the leaves have gone golden yellow. That is when the chance of good development is greatest. It is crucial for that development that a particular soil fungus is attached to the roots. So make sure that you buy beeches when they are still (entrenched) in the soil. That offers the greatest likelihood that the roots are in good condition (and that fungus is present)

Summer colours

Heat
by Colour your life

‘Heat’ is a powerful sensory stimulus – look at how it is used in advertising everything from perfumes to cars. Heat equates to danger, excitement, sexual attraction. Plants can very much evoke a sense of heat too, with vivid colours setting the pulse racing.