As winter approaches there are still plants to enjoy during November. Ivies and Ferns add rich foliage while winter roses and Tulips add some bright and vivid colour to the garden.

Polystichum Munitum

Polystichum Munitum ‘Sword Fern’
As ferns are primitive plants, they do not have leaves but leaf-like structures called fronds, and it’s their elegance that makes them so appealing. Polystichum munitumbelongs to a genus of ferns whose fronds grow into attractive shuttlecock crowns, up to three feet long, which give dramatic impact all year round. These are narrow, dark green, pinnate lances finely divided into linear or spiny toothed pinnae resembling small holly leaves. It should be grown in fertile, humus rich, well drained soil in deep or partial shade. It is a good idea to remove any dead fronds as new ones appear, and to protect it from excessive winter wet.
Propagation: Sow spores in late summer. Divide in spring.

Hedera canariensis Glorie de Marengo

Hedera canariensis ‘Gloire de Marengo’ may be adversely affected by a severe winter but is such a handsome plant it is worth trying to grow. If the worst happens and some of its leaves are damaged, it usually recovers as spring progresses. It has three lobed, triangular leaves in a light silvery green, variegated with cream, that may be up to five inches long, carried on dark red stalks. A mature plant will grow to about twelve feet. Like all variegated ivies, ‘Gloire de Marengo’ prefers a position that isn’t too shady and should be protected from cold winds. A fertile, humus rich, alkaline soil that is moist but well drained is best. It may be pruned at anytime to keep it within bounds, but the best time is late winter or early spring.
Propagation: Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer.

Rosa Maigold

A superb climber, Rosa ‘Maigold’ is from the Kordes stable in Germany and was bred in 1953, a hybrid ofRosa ‘Poulson’s Pink’ and Rosa‘Truhlingstag’. It is one of the first roses to flower, which makes it especially desirable. While it is not recurrent, an occasional flower may appear in autumn. Its flowers are semi-double cups, up to four inches in diameter, in a rich bronze yellow flushed with orange. Sweetly scented, they grow on strong, arching stems covered with brown red thorns. The leaves, which are leathery and glossy in a rich dark green, provide a perfect background for the blooms. When mature, ‘Maigold’ will cover a wall about eight feet by eight feet. It may be grown into a tree or on a north facing wall and will tolerate a less than ideal soil.
Propagation: Root hardwood cuttings in autumn. Bud in summer.

Tulipa Arabian Mystery

‘Arabian Mystery’ has a beguiling name, and this mid-season Triumph tulip has exotically coloured flowersin a dark purple with a narrow band of silver white around their margins. It has strong stems, leaves up to fourteen inches long and long lasting flowers, so is good for general planting. This autumn, plant some under a line of Malus trilobata. The crab apple’s blossom should accentuate the tulips’ silver lines, and the purple will complement the bronze tinged malus leaves. When planting tulips, it is good to place sand in the planting hole to improve drainage and to plant the bulbs about six inches deep in fertile soil.
Propagation: Separate offsets after lifting in summer then replant and grow on.

Click here to see which other Ferns, Ivies, Roses and Tulips can brighten up your garden in November.