Tis The Season – Blooming Great Plants for Christmas Gifts
Are you wondering what plant presents you could give this year? Gardeners love receiving plants for Christmas gifts but sadly the majority of plants aren’t looking their best at this time of year! Although keen plant lovers will know that your ‘stick-in-a-pot-with-festive-ribbon’ is an Annabelle hydrangea that’ll look stunning in July, it somewhat lacks wow appeal in December. But don’t worry, some spectacular plants are budding up and flowering right now.
What Plants Are Flowering For Christmas?
Lots of plants have flowers, berries or amazing foliage at Christmas time. Let’s run down the best in no particular order.
Camellia
Evergreen camellias are always a favourite, but did you know you can buy winter-flowering camellias? They have early flowers that bud up in the summer and bloom for winter. There are several colours including red Eugenia De Montijo and pink Reticulata Mary Williams. Both are beautiful plants and make thoughtful Christmas gifts.
Honeysuckle
If your garden has a lot of fences, then choose a winter flowering honeysuckle. It’s highly fragrant with creamy-white flowers that bloom over the whole plant in late winter and early spring. Great for cottage-style gardens.
Viburnam
We couldn’t talk about winter flowering plants without including viburnum. Viburnum is a hard-working shrub and Viburnum Tinus Purpureum is one of the best. If you know your gardener enjoys flowers, but perhaps not the hard work, this is a low maintenance shrub that shows off red buds and pink flowers at Christmas time.
Skimmia Obsession berries and evergreen foliage
Skimmia Japonica
Evergreen Skimmia Japonica tends to flower in early spring, but its autumn berries cling onto until the following year. Beautiful white berries at Christmas on Skimmia Kew White and Skimmia Obsession is one of the best for compact gardens and large containers.
Mahonia
A winter favourite, and powerful bee magnet, is Mahonia. We have several types but Mahonia X Media Winter Sun is a pot full of sunshine for Christmas. It has bright yellow flowers from November that carry on until March with Lily-of-the-Valley scent.
No Winter Foliage – Just Flowers
These plants pack a punch at Christmas because the flowers take centre stage.
Wintersweet
Monty Don mentioned the glorious Wintersweet back in autumn and it sold out across the UK. No surprise there because it has the most delicious spicy scent and pale red-centred flowers that bloom as if by witchcraft on bare stems during the winter months. We have two types of Wintersweet Chimonanthus Praecox and Calycanthus Praecox – both have an intoxicating perfume . Best grab one now just in case they re-run Gardeners’ World.
Left Calycanthus Wintersweet | Right Chimonanthus Praecox Wintersweet
Witch Hazel
And speaking of witchcraft, very similar to Wintersweet is Witch Hazel which also blooms on bare stems in winter but has a variety of bright flowers including flaming reds, intense oranges, and glowing yellows. Perfect for smaller gardens Hamamelis Virginiana American Witch Hazel starts blooming in Autumn with swathes of golden, fragrant flowers that last right through December. It has striking coppery foliage in autumn too. Witch Hazel Arnold Promise has fragrant bright yellow flowers on bare stems throughout the winter. Hamamelis Mollis Pallida is one of the most profusely flowering varieties of Chinese Witch Hazel – golden flowers last right through winter with a heavenly scent.
Witch hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’)
Winter Flowering Cherry Tree
Another favourite is the winter-flowering cherry tree. White or pink flowers arrive in early December followed by their foliage in spring. Winter flowering cherries are pretty ornamental trees that don’t get too big so they’re perfect for smaller gardens. Prunus Subhirtella Fukubana is a reliable choice.
Traditional Festive Plants For Christmas Gifts
There are certain plants we all know and love at Christmas!
Holly
It’s the right time of year to buy a Christmas holly. They are evergreen and often hold bright berries at this time of year. Go for Blue Angel Holly with Christmas red berries or a more contemporary choice such as a holly topiary spiral.
Festive Holly Trees covered in red berries
Live Christmas Trees
If holly isn’t right then what about a Christmas tree? Not a cut one but our living beauties! For sustainable and environmental reasons we only sell living Christmas trees which can be used every year. Push the boat out and buy a festive container large enough to keep it happy in the garden from January to November. Remember – a Christmas tree is for life, not just Christmas!
Hellebores
Smaller than hollies and fir trees is the beautiful Christmas Rose. The RHS award-winning Hellebore Foetidus has lime green flowers at Christmas time and blue-green foliage. This plant looks stunning planted in swathes so we sell a great value pack of 12.
Dogwood
And let’s finish off with a plant that’s always popular at Christmas time – dogwood. Cornus Sanguinea doesn’t have foliage or flowers at Christmas, instead its brightly coloured bark steals the show. Midwinter Fire has stems that are bright yellow at the bottom with warm orange tones that turn scarlet towards the tip. Cornus Sanguinea Winter Beauty is vibrant yellow at the base of the stems, changing to deep orange and then bright red at the tips.
Magical Plants For Christmas Gifts
Despite good behaviour Santa stopped coming to most of us a while ago, but we can still capture some of that Christmas magic with plants that are in flower despite the winter frosts and dull cloudy skies.
If you’re undecided email us on [email protected] and we’ll do our best to help you pick the right plant gift that’ll brighten Christmas day and bring pleasure for years to come.
