AS always, dear old Tatton bristles with things to do before Christmas. And, just like any dear old family member, there is always lots of fuss and bother leading up to this short season.

Whether it is getting the right kind of berries for the wreaths or the swags, or the right size tree for the cupola or the hallway, it all adds up to quite a busy time for gardener and housekeeper alike.

Gardening for a large estate in 2008 differs mainly from 1908 in that we now have around 140,000 ‘lordies’ walking around the garden instead of one ‘lordie’.

So Christmas, as much as any other season, means when the sun shines the customers turn up.

So our garden must look good for mid-winter, which, as many gardeners know, is perhaps one of the hardest times for a garden.

Frosts can do magical things to any garden, from the tracery of 100ft beech trees to the topiary box and yew, down to the feather stems and flowers of grasses and other perennials.

But as these spectacular hoar frosts are getting rarer, one thing we must rely on are the few flowers and many berries that exist now.

Perhaps nothing denotes this time of year any more than the humble holly tree (Ilex sp). It is only one of a handful of native evergreens and has long been regarded in folklore as a plant possessed with magical powers.

Inextricably linked with Christmas, its berries are thought to ward off evil spirits for 12 days, but for most folk, red berries and Christmas is where it ends.

In fact, there are more than 400 species of Ilex but just a few species are widely grown. Their cultures yield a massive variety of berry colours, leaf shapes and growth habits.

All make striking shrubs and trees in the right spot.

For large areas, Ilex aquifolium can reach 8ft, but for small areas, the beautiful Ilex crenata – or Japanese Holly – is perfect.

Many hollies respond well to cutting in late summer so they can be great for hedges, topiary and controlled shrubs.

Here at Tatton, we start preparing for Christmas in the early autumn – finishing the pruning and clearing around our many spectacular and colourful varieties for those many walks around our garden.

During the Christmas season, it is so pleasing not only to see a well stocked and presented garden, but one full of people, friends and families together.


Wishing you all a great winter Simon Tetlow