Happy New YearYou may have been expecting a picture of a beautiful winter scene
. Well, I decided I would show you something a little different this month. The picture on the right is of the Otari Native Botanic Garden in New Zealand in January 2008. So what may you expect of a January in the Southern hemisphere?
To start it is smack bang in the middle of their summer. New Zealand's climate ranges from a cool temperate climate in the deep south to almost subtropical conditions in the far north. Plants do not necessarily require the same conditions at one end of the country as they do at the other. The climate of the south island is most like that of Britain meaning that we are able to grow various plants from this island.
Cordyline australis (featured in the far right of the picture) is an NZ native plant. It occurs naturally on open ground in all but the driest and coldest of sites from one end of the country to the other. Therefore it is an ideal plant for our British climate and likes will tolerate most conditions.
Ornamental grass is also a strong feature on the New Zealand landscape. The grasses featured in the image to the top right are predominantly Carex buchananii. This type of Carex is found on the coast mainly in dry conditions. It is widely available in Britain, but tends not to do so well in the wet clay soil of the West Country in winter. However, if you are fortunate to have a sandy free draining soil give it a go.
Closer to home, one plant worth looking out for this January in the UK is Hamamelis (witch hazels) This frost hardy, highly perfumed shrub is an excellent choice for any winter garden. Its has a variety of sunset shades from yellow to deep red.