Cornus brings a fiery display

Our Irish winters can vary a lot, however, I find them predominantly grey. What I suggest is that you pack as much colour as possible into permanent planting, be that foliage or stems, as opposed to annual winter planting for colour. Colourful shrubs brighten those grey days.

The plants I use a lot are Cornus species, commonly called Dogwood. They never fail to charm and with minimum care and pruning can go on for very many years providing a spectacle that is to be looked forward to as much as creating memories.

I can well recall the first time I saw a clump of Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’ in the distance in mid-winter – its stems glowing a sealing wax red colour almost like the dying embers of a fire. It was a wonderful spectacle. Seeing the same shrub during the summer months, equally delights with its bright cream and grey green leaves. It grows to a height of two metres and similar in width.

Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ creates the same effect but with richer red stems, again looking its best during winter. Here the foliage is green, turning a red colour during autumn followed by the wonderful display of colourful stems. It grows to a height of 1.5m.

With these red stemmed varieties, I underplant with masses of yellow Winter Aconite, Eranthis hyemalis, it is a ground cover plant to a height of 150mm. Once you plant them they happily spread of their own accord and come back every January into February.

Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ is a suckering shrub with lime green almost yellow stems and green foliage to a height of 1.8m. Again, the foliage is green for the summer season, then giving a display of red autumn colour.

Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ is a spectacle to behold, while others look fiery, these twiggy stems look like bright yellow flames, with scarlet red tips. The light green foliage turns yellow in autumn and persists before the main winter display of stems. It grows to a height of almost 2m.

Of similar stature and colour although not as fiery is Cornus sanguinea ‘Winter Beauty’. It has bright green foliage turning a yellow in autumn, followed by the winter display of stems.

Cornus alba ‘Kesselringii’ is a beautiful plant in winter with almost black stems. It is a strong grower to over 2m with green leaves over the summer months providing good autumn colour before revealing its black stems. I have seen this grow to best effect mixed with Stipa tenuissima, a low growing grass that has the wonderful quality of moving with the slightest breeze. An amazing combination.

Suits most soils

Cornus species suit our climate and most soils. They like rich moist soil; however, you can easily achieve this with the addition of organic matter at planting time and ongoing mulching thereafter.

If space allows plant cornus in groups of three or more as the spectacle is even more impressive and as I have described underplant with the aforementioned. The choice is yours but base your selection on woodland plants. The underplanting should of course be equally dense.

Pruning of cornus is best carried out before the growth starts and there are several ways gardeners undertake this. Some cut all stems to the ground forcing the plants into spurts of massive growth through spring into summer. Others cut about half of the stems to the ground allowing for a partial regrowth alternating the following winter.

Feeding is the key after pruning, I suggest using pelleted chicken manure scattered around the plant in line with the manufacturer’s recommendation. This is also a good time to mulch as heavily as you can to a depth of 75mm or thereabouts. Do this work after you give the ground a good soaking.

The cut stems can be used for propagating new plants which is easily achieved by inserting hardwood cuttings, 300mm in length, in slit trenches 30mm wide and the depth of a spade in the garden where there may be some spare space preferably in light shade.

It can take up to a year to produce more delightful plants.

My roses are loose and falling over after storm Éowyn. What should I do? Will they survive? – Tony, Co Wexford

Your roses have what we call wind rock, this occurs after windy or stormy weather. Saturated soil also does not give sufficient support. Roses and indeed other shrubs will rock to and fro to the point where they create a circular gap at soil level and look unsteady. It can also be the case with regard to roses that the top growth was too heavy at the onset of winter.

Fork the ground very lightly around the roses, loosening the soil so as you can refill the hole. Compact it with the heel of your boot while holding the rose in the upright position. You are, of course, now almost at rose pruning time, this will reduce the weight of stems further.

Trees, shrubs and roses: Check all plants for wind rock and stabilise, check plant ties and secure if loosened. Start rose pruning. Continue with bare root planting.

Flowers: Prepare for seed sowing, wash all pots and pans in soapy water, start seed ordering.

Lawn: Continue to cut in dry weather, scarify with a spring tined rake to remove moss.

Fruit, vegetables and herbs: Continue with any fruit planting in dry weather, fork over vegetable plots ensure they are weed free, start seed ordering, order seed potatoes.

Greenhouse and house plants: Continue to check heat especially in frosty weather, plan for cleaning greenhouse glass.