David Domoney talks about the top six evergreen plants that brighten gardens all year round (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
I have created a YouTube video of these plants in my garden, so if you want to see them for yourself just visit my YouTube Channel @daviddomoney.
First up is the sword-like foliage of the Phormium variegatum, its vertical stripes of green and gold making it a spectacular architectural plant. Native to New Zealand, it’s a clump-forming plant that likes sun or partial shade. If planted further north in the country, aim for a sheltered position.
Contrasting is the foliage of Mahonia japonica with holly-like spikey leaves attached as opposites on the stems, the large shape of this shrub provides great form to a border. It is a spectacular plant when its yellow flowers appear in the winter. Both of these plants are utilised for their unique leaf form in sophisticated garden design planting plans.
My namesake, Viburnum davidii, is a formidable year-round performer with its emerald-green elliptical leather-like leaves. Each is patterned with delightfully etched veins.
This plant is not only used for its shape and foliage but also its dainty white flowers in May. And if you grow mixed-sex plants, the female variety produces berries which are so out of this world with metallic-blue colour.
Another big year-round burst of colour is the Spotted Laurel (Aucuba japonica). I have mine planted in front of a wall to soften and contrast the terracotta colour in the bricks, the sunny gold spots on the glossy green foliage standing out beautifully. It develops a lighter colour when planted in its favoured position of partial or full shade, effectively brightening up darker locations.
If you are looking for 365 days of bright colour in a sunny location, try Euonymus japonicus ‘Aureus’. Its bright and cheery gold and green leaves pack a punch in a light-blessed border. Be wary, if eaten the foliage and fruit of Acuba and Euonymus are toxic.
My final favourite is the sentinel evergreens on either side of my back door; two lollypop bay trees.
They have been grown in containers giving a vibrant green welcome every time I leave or enter the house all year. And, yes, they also donate foliage for the occasional home-cooked curry or stew.
Spotted laurel (Aucuba japonica) (Image: Getty)
TOP FIVE JOBS OF THE WEEK
- Take the opportunity to clear leaves out of gutters and from the roof of your greenhouse. By clearing it now, your greenhouse will stay cleaner and will take in the maximum amount of light possible.
- Wipe your houseplants’ leaves to remove any dust from the surface. By doing so, your houseplants will be able to take in more sunlight, which is precious during the winter months. Use a houseplant-safe wet wipe or use a couple of pieces of dampened tissue paper.
- Prune large, overhanging branches while your deciduous trees and shrubs have fewer leaves to prune large, overhanging branches. During the summer, once these plants grow their leaves, they may block sunlight from your garden. It is much easier to do it now, as you can see the whole plant much more clearly.
- Weed and apply a bark chip mulch to your garden borders to help them retain moisture, and it also gives an attractive look. Prioritise any sensitive plants first. However, make sure you don’t do this on a cold, frosty day. By doing so, you will instead insulate the frost, which may negatively impact your plants!
- Heading to the garden centre now, being out of season, will mean you can benefit from bigger bargains. If you have any tools or other garden items which need replacing, now is the best time to do it to save you some money.
FOCUS ON: Snowdrops
Snowdrops will grow and multiply over the years (Image: Getty)
The snowdrop is one of the most special plants in my garden, its innocent nodding bell-like flowers defying the winter through the frost and snow. They burst through the sleeping earth, bringing the first signs of life to the garden.
Planted as dormant bulbs bought from a garden centre in autumn or in pots growing and flowering in January, they are an addition to your garden which will grow and multiply over the years.
The name ‘snowdrop’ has been widely believed to inspire an earring design. However, it’s the other way around. The plant’s common name was first inspired by the earring style. The Greek official name ‘Galanthus’ translates to ‘milk flower’.
For a guide on growing and dividing snowdrops visit my website
DID YOU KNOW?
Bamboo can grow up to 90 centimetres per day (Image: Getty)
The fastest-growing plant on earth is bamboo. It can grow up to 90 centimetres per day. Just incredible.
The ancestors of the Ginkgo tree date back to over 270 million years ago. Evidence of their ancestors has been identified in fossils from the Permian times when extinct marine arthropods called trilobites existed. If you have a Ginkgo tree, you could consider it a living fossil.
There is some evidence to suggest that the name ‘banana’ originates from the Arabic ‘banan’, which means ‘fingertips’. This may be why a bunch of bananas is sometimes considered a ‘hand’.
Each individual pomegranate fruit can hold more than 1,000 seeds.