Visit this If you’re looking for a garden that will put you in the Christmas spirit, Kew Gardens in London is putting on a display of a million lights, including a glowing sledge tree made from 360 wooden sledges. Open from 5-10pm, until 1 January, closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Plant this If you’re ruing a lack of festive vegetation to bring into the house, make plans to put that right for 2018 by planting a holly: they’re happy in full sun or partial shade and will tolerate most soils. If you fear being spiked as you deck the halls, Ilex aquifolium ‘J C van Tol’ is mostly spineless and is self-fertile, so you don’t have to have another holly to ensure berries. Super-spiny cream and dark green I. ‘Ferox Argentea’ makes a great security hedge, but doesn’t produce berries.
Check this Need five minutes’ break from the family? Head into the garden to check stakes on young trees – expanding trunks are easily damaged by overly tight ties. Loosen any that are rubbing, and while you’re at it, use sharp secateurs to prune away any damaged branches.
