Christmas at Crocus
by Diane - November 15th, 2013.Filed under: Crocus.
Just a few lovely Christmas ideas from Crocus
Living Christmas tree £39.99
This is a fabulous Christmas tree that has been grown in the UK in the nursery fields and trimmed every year to create the perfect shape. It has recently been dug up (with as much of its rootball as possible) and potted up by our specialist growers. It stands around 1-1.2m tall (including the pot), and is a Nordmann Fir (Abies nordmanniana), which is considered by most to be the best, because it has a great shape and rarely drops its lush, greeny-blue foliage. This living tree has a good chance of growing on after Christmas if it is not placed right next to a radiator and is given plenty of water. It is also happiest in the garden, so try not to keep it inside for too long. The tree will be delivered to you between the dates selected when placing your order, so if you also order other items and wish to receive these before the date selected, you will need to opt for split delivery in the shopping wheelbarrow.
Christmas tree stand £29.99
This clever stand is a wizz to use and will have your tree up in a flash. It has a ratchet system that will hold your tree straight and firm, and when it comes to dismantling, the push-pull bolts enable super-fast release. This also makes it really easy to make minor adjustments. With a large trunk access and water reservoir capacity, we think this is probably the best Christmas tree stand around. For regular domestic trees up to 2.1m (7′) tall, trunk up to 15cm (6″). Water capacity 4.75 litres (8.4pints). This Christmas tree stand was voted best buy by which December 2011
Helleborus x nigercors ‘Emma’ (PBR) (Christmas rose in ceramic pot) £29.99
Position: partial shade Soil: heavy, neutral to alkaline soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: December to March Flower colour: white Other features: all parts of the plant cause severe discomfort if ingested; the sap may cause skin irritation Hardiness: fully hardy As this plant is potted up into a glazed terracotta pot (measuring 20cm tall x 22cm wide), it is ready to take out of the box and place straight on the patio, where you can admire its beautiful creamy white flowers from midwinter to early spring. A stunning hellebore hybrid, it combines the best qualities of three different parents – one of which being Helleborus niger, the Christmas rose, which the flowers closely resemble. Like all hellebores, it is tolerant of shade and in time it can be planted out in dappled shade under deciduous trees and shrubs. Garden care: Keep well watered during dry spells and provide shelter from icy winds. When planting out, add lots of well-rotted leaf mould or organic matter to the planting hole. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the base of the plant in autumn and provide a top-dressing of general fertiliser each spring.
Bucket advent calendar £7.99
This advent calender is great addition to the house or garden this Christmas. Great for garden lovers and also the kids as little treats can be hidden each bucket in the countdown to Christmas.
Advent envelopes £7.99
This beautifully vintage set of wooden advent pegs allow you to creat your own advent calendar for either the home or garden. Simply peg each number onto a piece of string or ribbon for a traditional Christmas look. Each wooden peg has a heart and snowflake detail and can be used to hang photos, cards or treats for the kids for a creative countdown to Christmas. Measurements: Each peg length: Approx 4cm
Christmas sack £7.99
This traditional style hessian sack is great for keeping the presents hidden away until Christmas day. It is stamped with ‘Do not open until 25th December’ just in case family members get impatient and want a sneak peak. The vintage style means it looks great underneath the Christmas tree, at the foot of the bed or next to the fireplace. It also looks great with matching ‘Do not open until 25th December’ ribbon (see below) and ‘Merry Christmas’ sack (see below). Measurements: Height: approx 78cm Width: approx 50cm
Table top tree with decorations (table top Christmas tree) £4.99
Position: full sun Soil: moist but well-drained, neutral to acid soil Rate of growth: average Hardiness: fully hardy These miniature Christmas trees make a wonderful gift and as they come in a decorative sleeve, you don’t even need to wrap them. Each one comes with a tinkling gold bell, as well as a colourful baulble and a wrapped ‘present’. They currently measure 35cm tall (including the pot), but after the festivities they can be planted out in the garden where they can grow to 3m tall. Garden care: To maintain the plant’s distinctive shape remove any misplaced or diseased branches in winter.
Table top Christmas tree with snowman (table top Christmas tree) £4.99
Position: full sun Soil: moist but well-drained, neutral to acid soil Rate of growth: average Hardiness: fully hardy Line these up along a windowsill or side table and you will have a cheerful seasonal display in an instant. They measure approximately 35cm high including the pot, which has been wrapped in decorative foil and bound with a golden tie. Tucked into its side is a decorative snowman, which may have either a red or silver hat. After Christmas, plant them outside in the garden and in time they will grow to 3m tall. Garden care: To maintain the plant’s distinctive shape remove any misplaced or diseased branches in winter.
Table top tree with snowman and snow (table top Christmas tree) £4.99
Position: full sun Soil: moist but well-drained, neutral to acid soil Rate of growth: average Hardiness: fully hardy Perfect for dressing the Christmas table, or placing beside a childs bed (even the big ones!), this miniature tree comes with a dusting of frosted snow and a miniature snowman*. The plastic pot it comes in has been wrapped with decorative foil, so it is immediately ready for display. The plant measures approximately 35cm tall (including the pot) and after Christmas, it can be planted outside in the garden where in time it will grow to 3m tall. *The snowmen may arrive with either red or silver hats. Garden care: To maintain the plant’s distinctive shape remove any misplaced or diseased branches in winter.
Hyacinthus orientalis ‘White Pearl’ (‘prepared’ hyacinth bulbs) £3.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: any well-drained, moderately fertile soil (for container-grown bulbs use two parts John Innes No2 compost to one part sharp grit or bulb fibre) Rate of growth: average to fast Flowering period: January to March Flower colour: white Other features: all parts of the plant may cause a mild stomach upset if ingested; contact with the bulbs may cause skin irritation Hardiness: fully hardy Bulb size: 16/17 Tightly-packed columns of white, bell-shaped flowers look magnificent in winter or early spring and will fill your home with their delicious scent. They make an elegant table centre for special occasions, and can be used as a longer-lived alternative to a traditional cut bouquet. ‘Prepared’ hyacinths have been through a sequence of cold treatments, which triggers the growing process. This means they tend to flower much earlier than ‘unprepared’ hyacinths, and they are mainly grown as indoor plants, where their strongly scented flowers will fill your room with their sweet perfume. ‘Aiolos’ produces densely packed, cylindrical clusters of highly scented, ivory white flowers, which may be in flower as early as Christmas. Garden care: Using gloves plant bulbs close together (but not touching), into shallow bowls containing bulb fibre, so their tops are just above the surface of the compost. After potting up, they will need a cool, dark period, which will encourage root growth, so pop them into a black bin liner and leave in the shed or garage. Check them occasionally to make sure the compost does not get too dry, and water them when necessary. When the growing shoot is about 5cm tall, take it out of the bag and bring the pot inside to a cool room away from direct sunlight until the leaves turn green. Afterwards they can be moved closer to the window, but if possible keep them away from central heating radiators. After they have finished flowering they can be planted outside in the garden, where they will flower again (in March or April) the following year. These bulbs can also be grown in specialist bulb vases. Simply fill the vase with water up to its neck and then sit the bulb on top, making sure the base of the bulb is just above the water. Then treat it in the same way as the potted bulbs.
Late victorian style hyacinth bulb vase £3.99
Late Victorian style This bulb vase is perfect for growing prepared hyacinth bulbs in. The hourglass-shaped hyacinth vase will hold the bulb in place while it’s growing. To enjoy the intoxicating fragrance of hyacinths at Christmas and New Year, all you need to do is start growing you bulb in September or October. Fill the glass to the neck with water and then place the bulb in the top. The water level should be just below the bottom of the bulb. Keep the water topped up and the bulb in a dark place until the shoot is about 4-5cm tall. Then move it to a sunny spot indoors and watch it grow and flower. The bulb vase is 14cm tall.
Christmas pudding bird food cake £2.99
Give your wildlife friends a treat this christmas by giving them some christmas pudding flavoured suet cake. This handmade season-specific suet cake is optimised for cold weather survival during the winter months.
Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Blue Pearl’ (PBR) (‘prepared’ hyacinth) £2.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: any well-drained, moderately fertile soil (for container-grown bulbs use two parts John Innes No2 compost to one part sharp grit or bulb fibre) Rate of growth: average to fast Flowering period: January to March Flower colour: blue Other features: all parts of the plant may cause a mild stomach upset if ingested; contact with the bulbs may cause skin irritation Hardiness: fully hardy Bulb size:16/17 Pot these bulbs up into a bowl and grow on indoors until they are ready to be placed in a prominent position where they fill the room with their delicious scent. After they have finished flowering, you can plant them out in the garden. ‘Prepared’ hyacinths have been through a sequence of cold treatments, which triggers the growing process. This means they tend to flower much earlier than ‘unprepared’ hyacinths, and they are mainly grown as indoor plants, where their strongly scented flowers will fill your room with their sweet perfume. ‘Aiolos’ produces densely packed, cylindrical clusters of highly scented, ivory white flowers, which may be in flower as early as Christmas. Garden care: Using gloves plant bulbs close together (but not touching), into shallow bowls containing bulb fibre, so their tops are just above the surface of the compost. After potting up, they will need a cool, dark period, which will encourage root growth, so pop them into a black bin liner and leave in the shed or garage. Check them occasionally to make sure the compost does not get too dry, and water them when necessary. When the growing shoot is about 5cm tall, take it out of the bag and bring the pot inside to a cool room away from direct sunlight until the leaves turn green. Afterwards they can be moved closer to the window, but if possible keep them away from central heating radiators. After they have finished flowering they can be planted outside in the garden, where they will flower again (in March or April) the following year. These bulbs can also be grown in specialist bulb vases. Simply fill the vase with water up to its neck and then sit the bulb on top, making sure the base of the bulb is just above the water. Then treat it in the same way as the potted bulbs.