5 January Gardening Tips with Laetitia Maklouf.

The New Year is upon us, the deccies have come down, and for me, it’s always a great time to turn my attention to generally sorting stuff out. From perking up my interiors to make them look a little more lively after the joy and bedazzling of the festive season, right through to cracking on with outdoor jobs. Luckily with regards to the latter the fabulous Laetitia Maklouf is on hand to give us 5 January Gardening Tips to see us through this dreariest of months. So over to Laetitia…

There seems to be a backlash against resolutions and look, I’m cool with that, but seriously, who ISN’T motivated by making the odd list and a few ‘promises’ to oneself? Sure, I’m not going to be drinking or eating any less, but the garden has my heart, and as such, it deserves my attention….here goes.

What to pick:

Let me COUNT the ways in which you can create the most glorious of pongs this month. My first pick is of course sarcococca – a sweet-shop in a sprig. Perhaps too overwhelming for next to the bed but in the living room my GOODNESS you’ve gone to heaven and back. Then there’s Lonicera x purpusii (winter honeysuckle) which is basically violets mixed with roses and more sweets. Go pick some and get heady.

What to buy:

If you don’t have the above, then buy the above. But also, this is a great time for planting bare root trees and shrubs (hedges and stuff) which will form the backbone of your garden. Also, I’d heartily recommend Lia Leendertz’s brilliant Almanac 2019, telling you all you need to know about the important things in life in a beautifully illustrated tome.

 

What to see:

Kew is never not a good idea at this time of year; mostly (for me) because there is INDOOR relief from the cold. The new temperate house is nothing short of glorious…things are definitely looking up since I got married there in freezing December 2008…the windows actually SHUT! But seriously it is sublime and worth many a visit.

What to grow:

We have been doing microgreens at Chateau Maklouf – easy peasy, and it will transform your cooking into cheffy, chic heaven with the minimum of effort. If you can’t be faffed with dirt, Johnson’s seeds do a kit. Also, if you have amaryllis, or if you’ve not grown any yet, then there are bulbs on sale now. You can watch my video on how to plant them below or find out more about them and more on my blog here.

What to swoon over:

Okay, fess up, who didn’t get ENTIRELY what they wanted for Christmas? I was angling for a trip to see the cherry blossom in Japan but hey ho you can’t always get what you want! I will go one day though, and when I do, I’ll book through Responsibletravel.com who give back to a disadvantaged child by sending them on a day trip for every holiday booked through them.

Images via Pinterest

For more top gardening tips from Laetitia head over to her website or follow her 5 Minute Gardening tips on insta @laetitiamaklouf

You can also catch her previous posts on Notes From a Stylist here.