Valhalla Gardens is located on Mayne Island in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Canada. The maritime growing conditions have a hardiness rating of Zone 8. (See www.mayneisland.com for more information about Mayne Island.)

Winter in the Gulf Islands is usually mild but wet. Even though the weather might be dull there is no need for a grey garden. Plenty of plants have evergreen foliage, colourful textured bark and a few brave flowers. Look for the colourful berries on hollies, skimmias, pyracanthus, snowberries, cotoneasters and winterberries. In flower is winter jasmine, Hellebores niger (Christmas rose, cmellia sasanqua, heaths, Viburnum tinus and the ocassional hardy rose. Winter is the time to reflect on and evaluate your garden then plan for the future.

The following is a list of suggested gardening activities and chores for the current and up coming months:

November

Water

Check that plants placed under the eves of the house or places that do not receive direct rainfall are adequately watered throughout the winter.


Be sure plants have adequate drainage so their roots do not stand in water.

Bulbs:


Finish planting spring flowering bulb, prepare some of them for indoor forcing and include some of the smaller bulbs in your winter containers. Lift non-hardy summer bulbs/tubers (dahlias, cannas, gladiolas, and begonias) and store in a frost-free, dark, dry location. Check these monthly for signs of rot or shriveling.

Annuals & Perennials:


Clean up plant debris when it becomes unsightly. Remove leaves from lawns, ponds and clumping perennials to avoid rot.


Mulch beds with compost, leaves or sow a cover crop on empty beds.


Lift, divide and replant spring- and summer-blooming perennials (weather permitting)


Remove slow growing, cool-weather annual weeds that can take over the beds during the winter.


Sow hardy annuals and bring tender perennials you wish to save such as pelargoniums and fuchsias into a frost-free location. Water these only when dry.

Trees and Shrubs


A good time to plant or move trees and shrubs. Select specimens with interesting bark or add evergreens for colour.


Protect trees and shrubs from mice, rabbits and deer; do not use plastic to wrap plants.Also protect more tender trees from harsh winter winds.


Plant bare-root roses as they become available. Destroy old rose leaves to prevent the spread of black spot. Give roses a final deadheading and a light pruning.


Spread lime around roses and lime-loving shrubs such as lilacs

Compost


Build new compost piles with leaves removed from lawns, pools and beds. Use any clean dead growth from garden beds and containers. Turn the compost every few weeks and be sure it has enough but not too much moisture.

Vegetable Gardens:


Plant garlic, onions and shallots.


Prepare empty vegetable plots for early spring planting. Dig in compost or manure, remove all weeds and plant a cover crop. Add dolomite lime to beds except where potatoes are to be planted.


Use row covers to protect winter vegetables. If you did not sow winter vegetables earlier, transplants may still be available at nurseries. Try Swiss, chard, corn salad, arugula, broccoli, radish, lettuce and the many oriental greens.

Garden Design: Winter Containers


Use dwarf evergreen shrubs, vines or groundcovers, include golden, bronze, burgundy and variegated foliage plants and plants with textured bark or berries. Consider winter flowering plants such winter pansies mixed with small early flowering spring bulbs. Add primroses as they become available.


Try Hellebores mixed with water lily tulips. Mix winter berry plants like cotoneaster, skimmia, pernettyia and snow berry with dusty miller, variegated ivies or euonymus.

Clean up


Clean and sharpen lawnmower blades and other garden tools. Apply cooking oil to metal tools and blades for winter storage.


Clean and store pots in a dry place or under a waterproof cover.


Drain and store hoses.

December