Tough plants are needed for a winter garden, and mahonias fit the bill

THERE’S nothing that heralds the start of spring for me – even when it’s still mid-winter – quite like that splash of yellow, and one of the best examples of this is the wonderful mahonia.

There are over seventy species of mahonia and they originate from the Himalayas, Asia and the Americas. They are in the berberidacace family, along with berberis, and have the typical characteristic of that family: of bright yellow wood when cut into whilst carrying out formative pruning.

Most mahonias bear yellow racemes which are followed by blue-black grape-like fruits. Mahonias are tough plants suited to most sites and aspects, little troubled by pests and diseases, although rust and mildew can attack Mahonia aquifolium if certain climatic conditions prevail.

Mahonias are particularly good in mixed winter borders, providing a sumptuous glossy evergreen background to showcase other smaller winter specimens at the front of a bed. They are woodland shrubs which are happy in partial or full shade. They can tolerate full sun as long as the ground isn’t too dry.

Some of the most versatile mahonias for winter flowering are Mahonia x media. This cross is derived from M. japonica - common name: Japanese leather leaf; but which actually comes from China - and M. lomariifolia, a very fine species hailing from Yunnan, South West China and was introduced to this country by the then owner of Hidcote Manor, Major Lawrence Johnston, an American horticulturist in 1931. Crossing these gives us some of the loveliest cultivars around: M. x media ‘Charity’, with long, erect spreading lemon yellow racemes and M. x media ‘Winter Sun’ with its long arching spreading racemes. Both are densely clustered and this results in a glorious splash of colour that is long lasting. Mahonia x media ‘Lionel Fortsecue’ has clusters of bright yellow flowers; all are scented.

The mahonias here at RHS Garden Harlow Carr are used extensively in both the Winter Walk and in our winter garden. Salix ‘Tortuosa’ with its bright yellow stems, and Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ provide an excellent foil, in front of which is a good selection of winter flowering heathers to complete the picture.

If you want a mahonia that flowers in spring, Mahonia x wagneri ‘Pinnacle’ is a good one to choose. Its yellow clustered racemes on crimson stems are more densely bunched. As this flowers a little later, adding a show of daffodils underneath extends the seasonal flowering period. An alternative but complementary planting suggestion is to under plant this with Bergenia ‘Overture’, an evergreen whose leaves blush to a deep crimson in the cold weather, followed by its magenta flowers rising above the leaves in spring.

Mahonias have a clever adaptation to ensure pollination at a time of year when flying insects are few: any insect landing in the flower seeking nectar triggers a sensitive mechanism and the stamens close around the insect body, depositing pollen onto it before it flies off to another flower.

Mahonias don’t require much pruning, but do respond well to being pruned if outgrowing their space. Do this immediately after flowering so that you don’t lose flowers for the following year. Removing any diseased or dead stems at this time will keep a neat and tidy plant which will reward you with many years of spring colour and cheer you along during those dark days of winter.

Jobs for the week

* As bulbs are emerging now, gently clear away any debris and leaves that have accumulated over winter so you can enjoy them.

* Make sure that there is a plentiful supply of clean water for the birds in your garden.

* Take stock of your beds - are you happy with the layout? Are there perennials to split? Have you got gaps to fill? Do sketches and plans ready for the planting season so you know what you need to do.

With thanks to Katherine Musgrove, Horticulturist at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

DIARY DATES

11 - 12 February: Winter Garden Weekend Get advice, enjoy practical demonstrations and discover how to get the best from your garden during the winter months, and how to prepare for the year ahead. Seek inspiration from the garden’s striking Winter Walk or visit the RHS Plant Centre for the launch of the Harlow Carr Winter Garden Collection, the first in a new range of seasonal plant collections inspired by Harlow Carr. Normal garden admission.

18 – 26 February: Half Term Fun ‘Whatever the Weather’ Become a weather detective at RHS Garden Harlow Carr during February Half Term. Create your own windsocks and weather charts with the experts from the Royal Meteorological Society; visit our wacky weather station, take part in a weather hunters’ daily garden trail and enjoy tales of wild weather and stormy seas. Normal garden admission.

Until 26 Feb: Bath House Gallery & Library - Gardens Behind Barbed Wire A remarkable piece of World War One history is told in this exhibition. ‘Gardens Behind Barbed Wire’ tells the ‘forgotten’ story of an intrepid group of British men who set up a horticultural society in the Ruhleben internment camp in Germany and helped to feed their fellow prisoners throughout the War.