InTouch Magazine Articles Archive

Issue 14, January 2008

Gardening This Month

By Patricia Jordan. Author of "The Cyprus Garden" and "The Potted Garden"

How do you feel after all the excesses of Christmas and the New Year celebrations? In need of some fresh air perhaps? There’s nothing like a bracing walk or some digging in the garden on a bright cold morning to chase away any sluggishness. At this time of year we usually enjoy some still and very sunny days and how better to spend them than tending your plot! These are called ‘Halcyon Days’ when ancient fables say that the gods stilled the winds and waves in order to let the kingfishers lay their eggs on high cliffs and rock faces and not have them washed away. This lovely weather only lasts about 10 days at most, so do take advantage of it. Some bulbs may be pushing up and flowering, narcissus for example. It is such a joy to see them and some may even have a faint scent.

Even if your garden is neat and tidy it’s good to be out there and savour the perfumes of any loquats that might still be around. Their flowers are rather insignificant to look at but the perfume is just heavenly attracting bees for miles around. Another tree or shrub out at this time of year is Viburnum tinus, which is a native of this end of the Mediterranean and grows profusely. It is a really good value shrub as it is evergreen and there is always some extra colour from the rose-pink buds or the whitish flowers which are followed by shiny bluey-black berries. These are a bonus as the flowers don’t smell as good as they look! However, if you live in a coastal garden which is subjected to winds from the sea then it is a good choice, as it can take any amount of salt spray. It makes a good hedging plant as well if you need shelter from the wind.

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