December flower garden diary from Gardenaction

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DECEMBER IN THE FLOWER GARDEN

ACTION NOW	SOW AND PLANT	IN FLOWER NOW
Check if rose bushes need pruning		Flowers this month are rare, but winter-flowering Jasmine and the autumn flowering cherry provide a splash of colour. Shrubs which look good in winter include Dogwood (cornus alba) with deep red stems. Mahonia 'Charity' will begin to flower late this month, although the deep green leaves with their serrated edges look stunning. Conifers always provide colour in winter, those with golden foliage are especially beautiful. One for the smaller garden is Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Aurea' - after 10 years it will have reached a height of only 50cm (20ins).

Need a new lawn mower? Now is the time to buy one.
	Take a rest this month!
Protect semi-hardy plants from hard frosts

Dig over exposed areas of soil to expose it to frost

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Roses can be pruned from now until early Spring, although it is best to wait a couple of month's in colder areas. However, ensure that tall stems are shortened to avoid loosening the roots in windy weather.

If your lawnmower is getting a bit long in the tooth, now is time to consider replacing it. The are lots of bargains on offer at this time of year. If you wait until Spring, when everyone else is buying lawnmowers, those bargains will all have gone.

Some plants will withstand some frost, but will be damaged by prolonged hard frost - an example is some of the fuchsias and herbaceous plants. Although the tops will have died down by now, the roots are at risk. To increase their survival rate cover them with an extra inch or so or of soil and then cover with loose straw or bracken.

Dig over any exposed bedding areas. This will expose the maximum amount of soil to the frost which break it down over the winter.

Keep the weeds at bay - if left to their own devices, they will suck the moisture and goodness from the soil. Mulching with bark, rotted compost or the like will do a good job in keeping weeds at bay.