COLUMNIST: OLIVIA THOMAS
My usual remit is the cutting garden, but in Scotland at this time of year you will probably need to look to the rest of your garden, or plan ahead earlier in the cutting garden diary. As you go through the gardening year, consider what could be dried or repurposed for midwinter, and keep what you save in an easy place to access once the weather worsens.
Unless you are a visiting reader from the Isles of Scilly, you will not find many flowering plants in the Scottish December garden, but if you do happen to have any winter flowering plants, that is a bonus! Consider forcing Hyacinth or Paperwhite bulbs to flower at Christmas if you like them. Please try to resist buying imported flowers – this policy is one of the easiest ways to make an everyday environmental impact, and there is nothing festive about roses in midwinter.
Either bare or with berries, branches will bring dramatic structure to fill any space. This is an ideal project for a walk in the woods if you can wrestle the good ones off the dog (only take fallen branches, do not cut them down).
I have a silver birch (Betula pendula) tree that gives twiggy interest, perfect for hanging ornaments from or for scattering miniature trees around in smaller containers.
An apple tree (Malus domestica) has sturdier, knobbly branches, made interesting by lichen covering, and dogwood (Cornus) branches offer bright red vibrancy throughout the winter.
This is where you might need to plan ahead in the year to cut flowers and dry them at the right stages, but it is worth considering.
Alliums, hydrangeas, and strawflowers are three suggestions for easy growing and successful drying. Incorporate big seedheads into garlands, or fill jugs with bunches of muted colour. If you intend to purchase dried flowers, try to buy ones grown and dried in the UK.
Think holly (Ilex), ivy (Hedera), rosemary, Skimmia, Camellia, or any foliage still looking good in your garden in December.
If your garden is large enough, it may be worth growing a holly bush somewhere just for Christmas. If you have a smaller space, seek out compact cultivars. Condition stems well by picking in advance and leaving in water overnight in a cool dark place, and then split the bottom of the stems by about 3cm (1”) or so if they are woody. Use in garlands, fill jugs and vases, wind along the middle of your festive table, or hang on your door as a swag in lieu of a wreath. Rosemary foliage makes beautifully scented foliage napkin rings or tiny wreaths.
Keep an eye out all year round for vases and jugs that would be perfect for your personal Christmas theme. Frequent local charity shops or antique showrooms if you have a large space to decorate, as multiple small containers are easier to source and may fill space better than one or two large ones.
Basically, you can put flowers in anything that can hold water. The ideas below will get you started:
If you tend towards maximalism, the muted colours and bare shapes from the winter garden may not be enough for your decorative style, so you may need to get even more creative. Twine fairy lights through branches, wrap twigs in coloured yarn, tie on ribbon bows, hang ornaments, paper shapers, slices of dried fruit or miniature presents (bonus points for tiny treats actually for gifting and unwrapping).
Now go and find garden treasures to scatter all over the house. Send your photographs to @larkroseflowers on Instagram - and have a very merry Christmas.
Olivia Thomas grows flowers that are better for people and the environment. Her passion is for sustainable floristry: for growing local flowers that she sells to florists and other businesses including cafes, bars, and restaurants, and locally to the public whenever there are enough flowers available! Olivia talks about sustainable floristry and recommends the best cut flowers to grow in Scotland on the Scotland Grows Show.
See more of Olivia's beautiful blooms on her website, Instagram, and Facebook pages, or catch up with all her news on her Substack.
