Colour and fragrance in January and February

 

Viburnums are among the most reliable, hardy and rewarding shrubs you can grow and will cope with almost any soil or aspect. It is a large genus of more than 150 species with mainly white or pink flowers, some very fragrant, with the potential for flowers all the year round with careful choice.

In flower now (January) is the superbly fragrant, pink flowered Viburnum bodnantense Dawn. A deciduous variety, so the flowers are not hidden by the leaves. Also in flower now is the very tough, evergreen leaved Viburnum tinus, with its white flowers produced over many months during winter. This is a favourite with flower arrangers.

Both of these are very hardy, grow quite large to approximately 10 feet, but can of course be kept smaller with regular, annual trimming, best done after flowering. A must for every garden.

Camellias are spectacular flowering, very hardy, glossy evergreen-leaved shrubs for all aspects in the garden but do prefer the soil to be on the acidic side. This can usually be achieved by using ericaceous compost when you plant them and feeding once a month during the spring and summer with a proper ericaceous feed.

At this time of the year, the first camellias to start flowering will be varieties of Camellia sasanqua. In the South West, these will have already been in flower for several months. This species is actually not as hardy as most of the later spring flowering types, so if you garden further North it may need some shelter from a warm wall.

The choice of colours is extensive through white to pink and red, with a few yellows also available. Some flowers can be as big as your hand, while smaller daintier types can be seen in the very hardy Camellia williamsii varieties, which will also be in flower now.

In colder areas, it is also best to avoid placing where the plant will be hit by the early morning sun in the early spring time, as after a frosty night the sudden thawing, when the sun shines on the flowers and bud, can cause them to go brown.