Add a touch of pizazz to your garden this Christmas, which will be appreciated by all your visitors over the festive season! Potted bay standards are great all year round in the shelter of your porch, as they’re elegant and welcoming at any time – but now you can go to town and pot one up, then jazz up its branches!
Lots of lovely lights will go down a treat. Keep your bay tree sheltered and fleece the pots they’re in if your plot’s prone to frost – you can buy attractive jute bags or nice-looking fleece bags to fit round them, which won’t detract from your decorations. Remember that bay grown in the ground is naturally hardier than a potted one, which can become a little exposed.
Prune plants in summer lightly to shape and be sure to trim off any suckering stems that clothe the trunk when they appear. Water plants well but ensure the compost is well-draining. You don’t have to limit your decorations to Christmas either – add seasonal touches at Easter or for summer parties perhaps?