If you love nothing more than decorating your home with barrow-loads of fresh greenery at this time of year, then growing your own is one of the loveliest ways to guarantee an abundant supply, while simultaneously joining the dots between the twin issues of seasonality and sustainability.
The best varieties to plant? The shrubby, reliably evergreen species I’ve listed below are suitable for most Irish gardens, and are perfect for using in lush Christmas wreaths, swags and garlands. Plant them as part of a mixed hedge, tuck them into a mixed border, train them against a sunny wall, or grow them as standalone specimen plants. Their great usefulness at Christmas aside, these hardworking species also provide valuable evergreen interest throughout the winter months while acting as a peaceful leafy backdrop to more colourful summer showstoppers.
One of the very best is Pittosporum tenuifolium, a hardy shrub or small tree that does particularly well in coastal parts of the country. Happy in either full sun or light shade, this versatile evergreen hails from New Zealand and likes a moist, fertile, but free-draining soil. A great choice for seaside gardens where it readily tolerates salty gales, in colder inland Irish gardens it’s best positioned in a sunny spot with some protection from chilly easterly or northerly winds. Its attractive, ultra-resilient, reliably evergreen foliage aside, another of its attractive traits is the surprisingly strong, sweet scent of the tiny, chocolate-purple flowers, which appear in early summer.
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Numerous different named varieties are widely available, with pretty, slightly crimped, glossy foliage that ranges in colour from deep chocolate-purple (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Purpureum’) to green-and-white (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Silver Queen’); almost entirely white (Pittosporum ‘Irene Paterson’); cream-and-green with a distinct pink edge (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Elizabeth’); and gold-and-green (Pittosporum ‘Gold Star’). There’s also the plain species itself, whose small, decoratively wavy leaves are a very pretty pale apple-green. All the above will typically reach an average height and spread of 2m-4m, but can easily be kept smaller with pruning or regular picking. While much more compact varieties have become available in recent years, just bear in mind that these won’t provide the same generous quantities of decorative foliage for picking.
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Next on my shortlist of reliably evergreen garden plants for use as natural Christmas decorations is the silver-leafed, low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, dome-shaped, hardy shrub commonly known as senecio or shrubby ragwort (Brachyglottis). Great for adding gentle glimmer to a sunny mixed border as well as to a homemade Christmas wreath or garland, it needs a moderately fertile, very free-draining soil in full sun – the reason why you’ll so often see it thriving in poor, stony ground in public planting schemes where only the toughest species survive.
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Not everyone, admittedly, is a fan of its acid-yellow, daisy-like flowers, which appear in midsummer. To prevent the plant from becoming straggly, these should be cut back soon after they’ve faded, or before that if you dislike them. Brachyglottis ‘Sunshine’ is the most widely available variety, but the intensely silver foliage of Brachyglottis ‘Walberton’s Silver Dormouse’ is superior. Both varieties can also be used for a low informal hedge, reaching an average height and spread of 1m-1.4m.
Also silver-leafed as well as silver-stemmed but with a naturally very upright growth habit, the medium-sized shrubs known as Ozothamnus ‘Sussex Silver’ and Ozothamnus ‘Silver Jubilee’ both make fine specimen plants in the garden, as well as providing plenty of homegrown beauty for use at Christmas time. Sun-loving, they need a free-draining soil in a warm, bright, sheltered spot, where they’ll reach an average height and spread of 2m-3m. In colder inland Irish gardens, give them the shelter of a south- or west-facing wall.
Also hailing from the southern hemisphere, eucalyptus is another evergreen species that’s widely used for Christmas decorations – sometimes to the point of ubiquity. Its many charms are obvious, from the slightly minty, almost camphorous smell of the silver-grey foliage and its lush growth habit to its ability to mingle well in any arrangement. Eucalyptus also typically responds very well to hard pruning, yet another reason why it’s so loved by flower arrangers. Many different species and varieties are available – some specially bred for their suitability for smaller gardens. Among the best is Eucalyptus pulverulenta ‘Baby Blue’, which forms a compact tree (height and spread of 2.5m x 4m). For colder parts of the country, try the new variety known as Eucalyptus gunnii Azura (‘Cagire’) which can tolerate temperatures as low as minus 20C – a breakthrough in plant breeding on account of its exceptional hardiness.
“Tough as old boots” may not be the most winning of plant descriptions, but it’s one of many reasons why Viburnum tinus, or laurustinus as it’s commonly known, also deserves a place in most Irish gardens. Few plants can beat this hardy, reliably evergreen shrub’s ability to tolerate cold winds, harsh frosts, poor soil, deep shade and hard pruning, while its clusters of creamy-white or pink-tinted winter flowers are another plus. Grow it as part of a wildlife-friendly informal hedge or to the back of a mixed border.
Chilean myrtle (Luma apiculata) is yet another very decorative evergreen species with finely cut, sweetly scented foliage perfectly suited for use at Christmas. Typically grown as a medium-sized shrub or small tree, it can tolerate temperatures down to minus 5C and is reliably hardy in coastal parts of the country, but needs the protection of a warm, sunny wall in colder gardens. Along with the green-leaved species, a variegated green-and-gold form known as Myrtus ‘Glanleam Gold’ (named after the famous Kerry garden on Valentia island where it was first discovered as a random seedling in the 1950s) is also available. Appearing in early summer, myrtle’s small, scented white flowers are loved by pollinators, while its very decorative, pale cinnamon-coloured peeling bark is another very good reason to grow it.
Finally, also prized for its very attractive, daintily variegated, cream-and-green evergreen foliage, Azara microphylla ’Variegata’ naturally forms a slender, medium-sized tree, but is also lovely when trained against a sunny wall. The obvious charms of its graceful foliage aside, its inconspicuous flowers release the most deliciously intense smell of vanilla – a very welcome shock to the system on a chilly spring day.
This week in the garden
As winter proper arrives and brings the real risk of plant-killing frosts, take a last careful look around the garden or allotment to check for any plants that will benefit from being brought under cover, or that would be best protected with a winter mulch of fallen leaves, old bracken or straw.
Tempting as it can be, try to resist the urge to tidy up the garden or allotment too much at this time of year by removing old seedheads, fallen leaves (other than on hard surfaces) and faded flower stems, all of which are beneficial to garden biodiversity and play a valuable role in helping insects, other invertebrates, birds and small mammals to overwinter safely.
Dates for your diary
Patthana Garden Christmas Gift Shop Kiltegan, west Wicklow. Owners TJ Maher and Simon Kirby’s pop-up shop is open to the public this Saturday and Sunday, see patthanagardenireland.com and @artifactsatpatthana on Instagram.
Sustainable Christmas Market at the National Botanic Gardens Glasnevin, Dublin 9. Fifty stalls selling a wide range of crafts, artwork, seasonal treats and other Christmas gifts, admission free, see botanicgardens.ie - Saturday, December 13th and Sunday, December 14th (10am-4pm).
