We have long known the Spruce is the most popular Christmas tree. With its fine, slightly prickly needles it takes pride of place in many a living room. But the Spruce is also a popular evergreen conifer in the garden. Its attractive shape means that the Garden Plant of the Month for December can shape the whole look of the garden combined with other shrubs and conifers.

From big to small! 
The Spruce (Picea) is a hardy needle conifer that ranges in size from 50cm up to 50m. For those that produce cones, these will hang at the ends of the branches. This garden plant is often supplied without roots, and therefore needs to be placed on a wooden cross or metal stand. Increasingly we are seeing Christmas trees with rootballs and even miniature Spruces with an attractive conical form – Picea glauca ‘Conica’. The decorative value is determined by the arrangement of the branches bearing the needles (actually the leaves) and the tree’s shape. By placing the spruce in water, you can help prevent needle shed. The Spruce definitely shapes the look of a garden so it’s a good idea to plant a solitary tree which has room to grow.

Caring for the Spruce
Follow a couple of simple tips to keep the Spruce healthy and looking its best. Plant in a damp, moderately nutrient-rich, somewhat acidic soil –  the Spruce can tolerate both shade and full sun.

Replanting a Spruce with roots in the garden requires some care. When buying the Spruce, check that there is a sufficiently large rootball at the bottom of the tree, and preferably place the tree on a Christmas tree stand containing water and shrub food. Because the plants have been standing indoors in the warmth for three weeks, the transition outdoors is not always easy. A frost-free period is therefore important in order to allow the plant to root properly in the garden. Caring for miniature Christmas trees in the home is often much easier as long as you water the plant regularly and place it in a light spot. The cooler the spot, the longer the plant will continue to flourish.

Spruce pruning tips
With most Spruces, particularly the dwarf varieties, there’s no need to prune. If a larger Spruce is getting too big or too bare, prune the plant ideally in spring (April, May). Use ordinary hedge clippers for this and snip a few centimetres off the ends of the branches. This will keep the shape nicely symmetrical and bulk out the spindles.

More information about Spruce and other garden plants can be found at Thejoyofplants.co.uk.

There are few plants that attract butterflies like the Butterfly Bush (Buddleia). With its long plumes of flowers in fabulous colours, the Butterfly Bush is a real treasure in the garden. This garden plant also blooms up until early autumn, so keeps the garden looking colourful for longer.

A fantastic display of colour on and around the plant

The Butterfly Bush or Buddleia is an eye-catching deciduous shrub that flowers from July to October. The range of Butterfly Bushes is extensive, with fascinating colours in white, blue, pink or lilac. The size of the flowers range from 10 to 30cm, whilst the height varies from 0.50cm to over 4m! It’s handy to know this before planting in the garden.

One thing that all varieties have in common is that – as the name suggests – they all attract colourful butterflies, which are drawn by the flowers’ honey fragrance. Who doesn’t want butterflies in their garden? It provides the ultimate ‘garden feeling’ for both adults and children. Butterfly Bushes can be planted either in the soil or in pots and containers.

Care

A couple of simple tips will keep the Butterfly Bush healthy and beautiful:

• It’s important that the plant is placed in the sunshine in partial shade – the Butterfly Bush likes the heat.
• Place the plant in well-drained, moist soil and water it regularly.
• Give the plants extra fertiliser in the spring to ensure that they keep flowering profusely for a long time and remain healthy.
• If wilted flowers are removed, new flowers may form after 3-4 weeks, keeping the plant looking elegant for even longer.
• Butterfly Bush is generally very hardy if it’s pruned at the right time. If it’s pruned too early in winter, the branches can freeze.

Pruning tips

• It’s very important to cut back the Butterfly Bush. It helps it to grow well, produce many flowers and remain young and healthy. If the plant cannot be pruned, it can deprive other plants of sunshine. The branches can be quite chunky, so use good pruning shears or a wooden saw.
• The best period for pruning is the end of February or beginning of March. It’s not a good idea to prune earlier than this because the branches can then freeze.
• Tall varieties should be pruned back to knee height. The shorter varieties can be cut back even further. Don’t be afraid to prune Butterfly Bush vigorously; the plant will produce new shoots and will then bloom profusely in the spring and summer.