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Winter`s wonderful work with ugly ducklings!

If you`re not already converted to the joy of Winter planting you should try it this year! It`s a great time of year to be transplanting plants and it makes you feel fantastic.
I always do the majority of my planting in Winter chiefly because it`s when the dormant and bare-rooted plant material becomes readily available. If you`ve yet to discover these plants I strongly recommend you do so. The story of the ugly duckling plants.
Just a note of warning! Don`t be alarmed when you first see dormant plants. They will appear to be dead, drying or just very unhealthy. Just remember, these plants are not dead, they`re just dormant!
I think of dormant plants as being like the fabled ugly duckling. They start off looking undersized, unhealthy, dying or just damn ugly. This is especially the case with herbaceous perennials which die back to merely a rhizome or root system with no above-ground growth at all. These plants include Delphiniums, Hostas, Perennial Phlox and many, many more. Even though these `dead` plants may seem small and insignificant what you`re actually looking at is a compact powerhouse of energy just waiting to burst into growth! These seemingly insignificant “sticks“ or roots/corms/rhizomes have already had one or more seasons of growing during which time they have been stock-piling vigour and strength. This means that once they`re planted these plants will put on more growth at a faster rate and they`ll also flower comparatively earlier than seedling material which you might otherwise plant in Spring.
Just like the ugly duckling, dormant plants soon blossom into something truly beautiful!

Bare rooted plants have many advantages

Also, in most cases dormant plants can be grown in the ground and sold bare-rooted rather than in pots. This only further adds to their appeal for me. Such plants have often experienced less stress during their life and therefore have been able to build more strength and size. It also means there`s no chance of them having become pot bound which means I reap the benefits of stronger healthier plant roots (ie a better established plant which grows much faster and lives for much longer).
You should also know that Winter is also the preferred planting time for the plants themselves also. It gives them time to settle in and establish themselves before having to deal with our long, hot Summers so you`re less likely to have drought/heat casualties in your garden. Also, because you`re planting whilst they`re dormant there is less “transplant“ shock which normally causes the plant`s growth to slow for a season.
One of the most practical reason however, for discovering bare-rooted plants is their price. Bare-rooted plant are much cheaper than the potted versions so you`ll be able to buy a whole lot more for your money!

Winter planting makes you feel great too!

There`s something very strange about planting dormant trees, shrubs, bulbs and perennials. Even though the weather may be dull, dreary, wet and freezing cold, it always leaves you feeling wonderfully optimistic and satisfied. It`s great therapy for the soul.
I`ve thought long and hard about this phenomenon and have come up with a couple of theories as to why this might happen. The first is that Winter planting makes you feel close to Mother Nature (which probably has a lot to do with being covered in mud from head to toe). The second is that whilst we are physically planting material which looks completely and utterly dead, what we`re seeing in our mind`s eye is the fruit of our labour - a garden filled with flowers, foliage and fruit. In this way Winter planting exercises our capacity to dream. It also makes us anticipate an optimistic future since we are planting little more than a promise! Well....that`s one explanation anyway.

I do have another theory about why Winter planting is so good for you. This one has a lot to do with our tendency to hibernate indoors over Winter. I think it makes a refreshing change to venture outside and gardening is a wonderful excuse since it will help you burn a few calories, get your heart pumping, breathe fresh air into your lungs, flex a few of your muscles and stretching your limbs. And that`s got to be good for you!
However, before you venture outside on a chilly day I recommend that you get suitably attired for the occasion. I always get very dressed up before heading into the cold. My husband says I look ridiculous but I don`t care. I start with my thermal long johns and a skivvy, then my old jeans and an old woollen jumper. This unco-ordinated ensemble is topped off with... an hand-knitted beanie, a scarf, a pair of plastic pants (so that I don`t have to wash muddy jeans) and some deluxe knee pads. I`m a big fan of knee pads because they keep my knees comfortable (as you might have guessed) but also because they keep the chill out of my knees even after I`ve spent hours crawling around the garden.
Naturally, I top the whole outfit off with a pair of very elegant (!) heavy duty gumboots and hope that no-one comes to visit!
So, whichever theory you believe, I hope you that you discover (or re-discover) the joy of Winter gardening.

What to plant during Winter:

fruit trees (buy them dormant and bare-rooted if possible)
dormant ornamental trees (I`ll be planting some Japanese Maples, Pin Oaks and Birch trees this year)
Summer flowering bulbs (Oriental Liliums, Christmas Lilies, Asiatic Liliums, Gladioli, Liatris)
Summer flowering perennials (Delphiniums, Foxgloves, Hollyhocks, Veronicas, Perennial Phlox, Penstemons, Violets, Hydrangeas, Verbenas and many more
seedlings

Where to find these wonderful Winter plants:

To be truly inspired to plant bulbs and perennials simply get the latest copy of the Tesselaar mail order catalogue. The winter catalogue is out now and the Spring catalogue will be published very soon (mid to late July).
Most good retail nurseries will be able to help with fruit and ornamental trees and seedlings

Last Reviewed: 18/02/2004 9:33:41 AM

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