'Mid the bleak mid-winter

I am rapidly transforming into a penguin - I know that sometimes I walk like one but now I actually feel like one! I have never known it so cold in my lifetime and I am no spring chicken, so it must be cold.
Last winter I was lucky that I only lost a few of my plants but I did lose a lovely camellia and was hearbroken. We will have to wait to early spring to see what has gone this year but I suspect our losses will be much worse. Most of my plants are fairly hardy - living in Cumbria they have to be - but I just wonder how they will cope with the prolonged freeze that we are experiencing now and likely to go on experiencing well into the New Year. My pic shows a frozen Morecambe Bay with the Arnside viaduct behind.

The RHS advise that plants differ in their ability to frost proof themselves and a long winter could see prolonged freezes with pots and the top 20cm of soil freezing solid. I think that is what happened with my camellia last year, certainly the roots in the pot froze and that was that. Plants that are really at risk include Dahlias, Fuchias, Gladioli and Pelargoniums. If you have citrus or olive trees you also need to key an eye on them.

The RHS Chief Horticultural Advisor, Guy Barter, warns that the roots are often more vulnerable than upper parts of plants so preveting posts from freezing is sensible and mulching the roots such as hardy fuchsias is wise. If you can move pots with tender plants into a greenhouse or conservatory which is frost free then obviously that helps but in my case I try and get all my pots up against the house wall as much as possible as I think it does give them a little protection.

Recently a survey was carried out by a group called 'Stars for Europe' which is a group representing the interests of poinsettia growers throughout Europe including a large number of UK growers. Apparently poinsettias were voted the third most evocative symbol of Christmas in the pan-European survey. 100 million are sold throughout the season and I was surprised to learn that the wonderful red ones that we all tend to buy at our local supermarket or nursery are not the only colour available. Specialist retailers may well be able to offer something a little different to the standard red, for instance in a stunning ivory and pretty soft pinks. I have to admit I haven't seen other colours so it might be worth looking out for a poinsettia which is other than red!

In the survey consumers were asked to rate 17 traditional Christmas symbols and top of the list with 90% - as we might expect - was the Christmas tree followed by fairy lights and candles and then in third place came stars and the star-shaped Poinsettia.  These delightful Christmas plants were bred in America back in the 1950s as houseplants and they are now firmly part of our Christmas tradition. If you want some ideas from the Stars for Europe florists log onto their dedicated website: xmas-star.info

Delighted to hear that Cleve West is designing the Daily Telegraph garden at next year's Chelsea Flower Show and there will be another appearance by the talented James Wong and David Cubero. The Chelsea line-up is coming along nicely and Reckless Gardener will give a full run-down of all the gardens before the show in May 2011.

In the meantime, a Happy Christmas to all our readers and a peaceful, prosperous and warmer 2011.