If you’re very lucky you may receive an orchid for Christmas. These beautiful exotic flowers are becoming more and more popular. Why? Well, obviously they are gorgeous, but also surprisingly easy to grow. Most flowers last a few days before withering and dropping off, but orchid blooms just keep looking stunning for weeks, and sometimes months. The most popular orchid is the Phalaenopsis (Moth orchid), an elegant plant with graceful sprays of flowers in shades of white, pink and lilac which just seem to float above the foliagehis is the perfect plant for modern centrally heated homes, preferring a temperature of 65 degrees F or more, good light levels, but tolerant of less well lit situations for short periods. When the flowers have finished cut back the flowering stem by about two thirds cutting just above a “node” (a little bump on the stem” and often more flower buds will appear from the node.

Cymbidium orchids are also popular and are the best choice for a cooler room. They prefer a temperature of 50 to 60 degrees F and like to be laced outside in Summer for a resting period which helps initiate the formation of new flower spikes. They have tall grass like foliage and magnificent spikes of exotic blooms which are often used singly as buttonholes by florists.

Other stunning orchids which are availabe include Dendrobium(Bamboo orchid), Miltonia (Pansy orchid), Oncidium (Dancing Lady) and Cambria (Odontoglossum hybrid). Although different types require different conditions there are some general guidelines which apply to most of them. Overwatering is the biggest cause of failure; only water if the plant is dry and allow excess water to drain away and doesn’t collect in the bottom of your pot cover. Don’t overfeed them; only feed when actively growing. Provide additional humidity in dry rooms by sitting on pebbles which can be kept moist, but never allow the leaves to remain wet over night. Place in a bright position, but avoid hot direct sunshine which can scorch the leaves. And don’t cut off those strange looking roots which creep over the side of the pot, they need them!

Colour can be hard to come by in the Winter garden and is often derived from foliage, bark and seed heads rather than from flowers. However there is a handful of brave souls which choose to flower in the depths of Winter. For example, Jasminum nudiflorum, produces its bright butter yellow flowers over several months from late Autumn through to Spring. It is unfussy and will grow happily against a wall or fence facing any direction. Mahonias are especially valuable, with clusters of primrose yellow spikelets from November to January according to the variety grown. It also benefits from handsome evergreen foliage, adored by flower arrangers. Sarcococca or “Christmas Box” is a small evergreen lime tolerant shrub with clusters of tiny but fragrant creamy white flowers which open in late Winter. Viburnum x bodnantense is a beautiful hybrid raised at Bodnant Gardens in 1935 with a strong upright habit with clusters of pale pink sweetly fragrant flowers adorning the naked branches. Prunus subhirtella “Autumnalis” is a Winter flowering cherry blossom and can grow up to 7m in height. Flowering often begins as early as November and can continue intermittently until March. Flowers are small, semi double and very pale pink. Garrya elliptica is a very handsome evergreen shrub with olive green foliage and long greyish green catkins during January and February. Witchhazels (Hamamelis sp.) are always eager to please as soon as Christmas is out of the way with curious tufts of saffron like flowers in shades of yellow, orange and red. Winter flowering heathers (Erica carnea and Erica x darleyensis) flower over many months from November until April and provide an invaluable source of nectar for bees at a time when flowers are scarce. Helleborus niger, the Christmas Rose is one of several Winter flowering hellebores, and the diminutive Cyclamen coum, typically with tiny cerise flowers, will produce a carpet of flowers and foliage under trees in January.

We’re all guilty of it. In the mad Christmas rush grabbing anything in the 3 for 2 gift offer regardless of suitability. If you’re giving gifts to keen gardeners, however, there are some great products available which might actually be of some use!

Secateurs, gloves, dibbers and nice terracotta pots are fool proof; you just can’t have too many! But sometimes its nice to receive a really good quality item which you might not normally buy for yourself. Burgon and Ball, based in Sheffield, make high quality stainless steel hand tools including some unusual items, such as asparagus knives, potato harvesting scoops and topiary shears. Also in their range is an excellent kneeler with memory foam technology.

Packets of seed are excellent for posting, lightweight and virtually unbreakable!Wild flowers, vegetables, herbs and seeds for kids are always popular. Bird feeders, bird baths, nesting boxes and bird stations all make lovely gifts which give so much pleasure, or why not make up a bird food hamper by filling a basket or pot with a variety of bird seed, nuts and fat balls.

Plants of course are always welcome but after last year’s severe weather it may be wise to steer clear of those beautiful but slightly tender evergreens such as Camellias and Hellebores which are best planted in Spring. Fortunately there are lots of other bone hardy plants to choose from which make great gifts, including fruit trees which will be remembered years after other gifts have been discarded. The ultra dwarf “Terrace” fruits are suitable for even the smallest garden and include semi-exotic types such as peaches, nectarines, apricots and the brand new dwarf plum “Gold Dust”.For something a little different how about a quince, or a fig or an olive?

Magnolias, Witchhazels and Rhododendrons look exciting at this type of year with their flower buds clearly visible, or how about a young bay tree which can be decorated with ribbons and baubles? And for the gardener who has everything you could try Grevillea “Red Salento”, described as a flowering Christmas tree. It is in fact an Australasian shrub which grows in the classic shape of a Christmas tree but with red parrot bill flowers in Winter, and hardy to -8 degrees C.

To grow your own mistletoe you will need two things: 1. a suitable host tree for it to grow on (mistletoe is a parasitic plant). 2. patience! Growth is exceedingly slow, just a few inches in the first four years. Subsequently however it explodes into growth and can be harvested heavily every year, regrowing in time for next Christmas. The favourite host tree for mistletoe is apple but it can be grown successfully on other trees such poplars, limes, false acacias and hawthorn. Being parasitic mistletoe can reduce the yield potential of fruit trees, so it may be advantageous to use a non productive or ornamental tree as host.

The best time to “sow” mistletoe seed is in February and March. Ideally fresh berries should be obtained either from a local source or online from specialist suppliers. Alternatively berries can be stored in a cool shed from Christmas and rehydrated by soaking in water for a few hours. Squeeze the seeds out of the berries and apply to a suitable young branch 2 to 6cm in diameter, using the sticky goo from inside the berry to stick them onto the branch. The failure rate is quite high so try to apply at least 20 seeds at each location, and label them so you can remember where they are when you prune your tree!.The seeds germinate into tiny green scales by April and then most of the growth for the next 4 years occurs within the branch, after which time growth is rapid. Mistletoe is dioecious (separate male and female plants) so several plants will be required for successful pollination and subsequent berry production.

Much of our mistleoe is imported from France, and British mistletoe is increasingly scarce as old unproductive orchards are replaced with more intensive plantations. Back gardens could become an important sanctuary for this much loved Christmas symbol, so why not give it a try!