December
Cydonia oblonga Vranja Nenadovic
It is always such a treat to pick a basket of Quince - they are a precursor to Christmas for me and give the promise of delicious membrillo. The fruits look and smell wonderful on the tree and in the kitchen. But Cydonia is also a beautiful tree, producing pretty, soft pink flowers in April and lovely yellow leaves in Autumn. Vranja is self -fertile so you only need a single tree and, at 4-5m in 10 years, it is the perfect size for a small garden.
Cotoneaster x watereri Cornubia
A lovely arching, semi-evergreen tree/shrub with long, pointed, shiny mid-green leaves. It is covered in masses of fluffy white flowers in June and July that are attractive to bees and insects due to their strong floral scent. In the autumn a huge crop of eye-catching red berries develop creating a lovely long lasting display that the birds will feed on throughout the winter. It will tolerate most conditions including exposed and coastal positions, but prefers well-drained soil. It makes a lovely informal screen on a boundary or could fill an awkward corner nicely. Reaches 6m x 4m in 20 years.
Clematis urophylla 'Winter Beauty'
A star performer for the winter months bringing scent and colour to the garden from December through to the end of March. This superb evergreen clematis has delicate, waxy, bell-shaped flowers with lush foliage. This variety likes a sheltered site with some winter protection. Grows up to 4m high with a spread of 1.2m. It requires very little pruning other than to remove diseased, damaged congested or crossing shoots.
Ilex aquifolium 'Bacciflava'
This is an unusual female holly which grows into a large upright arching shrub which bears clusters of creamy yellow berries that last well into winter. The fruits add colour to the garden at a dreary time of year whilst being a good source of food for birds. It has small white flowers in April and May. Ilex is a useful evergreen for any garden - it requires minimal pruning and is tolerant of most soil conditions and aspects.
