1 | hillier.co.uk
Exclusive Hillier Gardening Club members’ magazine
Christmas 2019
OUR REAL CHRISTMAS
TREE RANGEGrown in the UK
FESTIVE INSPIRATIONDecorate, create & gift in style
YOUR WINTER GARDEN
Striking plants for winter
interest
The Great Hillier
CHRISTMAS
2 3Hillier Gardening Club Magazine | Christmas 2019 | hillier.co.uk
Welcome to Christmas at Hillier...As our gardens turn from autumn glory to their winter form, we relish the changing season and start to anticipate an exciting time of year at Hillier Garden Centres: Christmas.
As a family company, we understand that Christmas is a time to enjoy coming together and to reflect on the past year. In 2019, we welcomed five new Garden Centres to the Hillier family – warm festive greetings to all our new Gardener’s Journal readers near Cheddar, Dorking, Lechlade, Marlow and Three Legged Cross.
Every Christmas we challenge ourselves to make sure our Centres are packed full of inspiration, seeking out exciting new gifts, decorations, plant ideas and more. Inside this magazine find plenty of ideas to help create your ideal style of Christmas, plus festive recipes, event information, and plant advice for a beautiful winter garden.
From page 17, we present a guide to our UK grown Christmas tree varieties and their journey from seed to stand. The arrival of thousands of real trees into our centres is one of the highlights of our year. We hope to celebrate this and the season with you at our Festive
Celebration Evenings on the 28th November 2019.
Wishing you a happy festive season and I look forward to seeing you in Centres soon.
Chris Francis Garden Centre Director
4-15 Festive Home Inspiration
Styling Ideas for your Home this Christmas
16 Simple Tips for a Stylish Christmas
17-19 Our Real Tree Range
20-21 Your Winter Garden
22-23 Hillier Festive Recipes 24 Seasonal Events
Spectacular Outdoor Lighting
Wax Lyrical Reed Diffusers
Christmas Trees to Treasure
The British home fragrance company Wax Lyrical has created a special festive selection of reed diffusers, exclusively for Hillier Garden Centres. Discover the seasonal scents and fill your house with beautiful fragrance.
We have significantly expanded our Christmas outdoor lighting selection in 2019, allowing you to be as creative in your garden as you are around your home. Look out for a range of striking lit wicker sculptures, twinkling cherry blossom trees and dramatic projectors.
this season inside this magazineAll the decoration inspiration, gift ideas, tips and treats you need for a magical Christmas
Festive events, great giveaways and exciting new product lines to look out for this year
EXCLUSIVE TO HILLIER
Competition closes 24th November 2019 at 23:59.Terms and conditions via hillier.co.uk
We have an amazing prize for one Gardening Club member this Christmas. You could be in with the chance of winning:
A real 6ft Christmas tree (courtesy of Needlefresh)
£150 worth of decorations (courtesy of Gisela Graham)
750 compact warm white lights (courtesy of Kaemingk)
For your chance to win, complete the competition form online by Sunday 24th November 2019.
hillier.co.uk/treecompetition
Win A Real Christmas Tree and Decorations
WIN!
To mark the arrival of our Christmas tree forests, we are hosting festive celebrations at every Hillier Garden Centre on 28th November. Join us for an evening of festive entertainment, take part in our Great Hillier Charity Raffle with a chance to win some incredible prizes, and of course wander through our Christmas tree forest with a cup of festive mulled wine.
For centres with restaurants we will also be launching our festive menu where there will be a chance to purchase the first mince pie or festive sandwich of the season.
RSVP at hillier.co.uk/events
join us for a festive Celebration Evening
From now until 16th December we need you to help us bring some Christmas magic into the lives of children who are at risk of waking up to nothing on Christmas morning.
To spread a little joy, all you need to do is pop along to one of our Centres and make a gift donation into one of our drop off boxes.
We are looking for new and unwrapped gifts suitable for children aged 0-18. For more information visit hillier.co.uk/missionchristmas
In late November, thousands of UK grown, real Christmas trees make their way to every Hillier Garden Centre to form our atmospheric Christmas tree forests. We have a fantastic range of premium quality trees for you to choose from, including the return of our popular slim Nordmann and two new varieties for 2019. Read more from page 17.
Don't miss a fantastic exclusive saving on your Christmas tree this year with Hillier Garden Centres. For details see the front page of the Christmas offers
leaflet inside this magazine.
5 | hillier.co.uk
enjoyingIsn’t it wonderful to have some things in life that are time-honoured; annual traditions to anticipate and
memories to be built on year after year?
When we ask what Christmas means to you, so many of you share specific stories about what you enjoy the most – the classic essence of Christmas. The most important part is often said to be the opportunity to spend time with family and friends – whether at home for Christmas Day itself, social gatherings in the run-up or a shared trip to Midnight Mass. Preparations and decorations are a big part of a classic Christmas, from making mince pies to putting up the Christmas tree and lights. The giving of presents is mentioned time and again – from the tradition of a special extra gift on Christmas Eve to whether you open yours before Christmas Lunch or patiently wait until after. And, of course, Christmas evokes strong connections with food. The Christmas
roast. Bucks fizz for breakfast. Warm mince pies.
A classic Christmas is about enjoying your own traditions. You might wear a festive cracker hat the entire day, go for a bracing walk after lunch, play board games or settle down to watch the Queen’s
Speech. And you do it year after year with gusto.
your own traditions
classic christmas
7 | hillier.co.uk
After Dinner Games Reverse charades, £7.99; Daily IQ workout, £9.99; Murder mystery night £14.99
Train SetA perennial Hillier favourite for all ages, £14.99 (Exclusive price for Gardening Club members)
Heathcote & Ivory Enchanted Forest RangeThe gift of 'me time'. From £4.99 (price based on lip gloss)
Create eye-catching ambience throughout your home with simple but clever use of lighting.
Illuminated robin crackle bauble £14.99; LED firework light string, small £24.99 large £39.99; Microwire lights 900cm, £16.99; Willow Tree 2.4m, £159
Explore more creative lighting ideas at hillier.co.uk/lights
Entertaining games, nostalgic trains and time to unwind.
The greatest gift ideas are often the simple ones. Select presents you know
the recipient will get joy from using.
Explore more gift ideas at hillier.co.uk/gifts
Let the Christmas countdown begin
classic GIFT IDEAS
ADVENT 3 WAYS
O CHRISTMAS TREEUpdate a classic decorating theme that uses opulent metallic shades by adding a pop of rich blue for a pleasing contrast.
Velvet blue bauble, £2.99; Blue bird tree clip, £2.99; Large metallic bauble, £3.99; Iridescent heart pendant £2.99Wicker tree skirt £24.99
Bring festive joy to your bedtime and morning routine with a seasonal bedroom update.
Flameless candles from £2.99; Tartan throw £37.99; Sitting santa gonk £26.99; Present sack £9.99; Table top Christmas tree £37.99 (plain tree, image for illustrative purposes only)
early to bed...
3D Advent Calendars
£6.99 each
Advent Calendar with Fudge £9.99
Christmas Santa Advent
Candle £9.99
all is bright
classic christmas
DID YOU KNOW?
Around 80% of our Gardening Club members
tune into watch the Queen's Speech each
Christmas!
8 Hillier Gardening Club Magazine | Christmas 2019
Defining ‘your style’ is often not a precise art. And this may be because you have eclectic taste. Eclectics happily take inspiration from different sources, combining styles, themes and whatever seems best rather than following
one set system.
In the music world, having eclectic taste might mean you enjoy listening to pop songs, but are equally enthralled by R&B, baroque classical music and Latin jazz. Many gardeners would also describe their style as eclectic. When talking about her designs for ‘The STIHL Hillier Garden’ at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019, Lilly Gomm commented that; “inspiration is found all around ... in natural patterns to the work of fashion designers. What excites me about designing a new garden is the opportunity to use different
palettes of plants, mixing new with the existing.”
Those of you with an eclectic Christmas style probably have a treasure trove of old decorations that you add to each year, perhaps by crafting some new items and by selecting a few standout extras. It’s about doing it your way, not being afraid to experiment
and to have a little fun.
Inspiration is found all around
eclectic christmas
10 11Hillier Gardening Club Magazine | Christmas 2019 | hillier.co.uk
Turn your outdoor space into an illuminated work of art with LED light-entwined statues. Visit your local Hillier Garden Centre to see the full range.
White wicker LED standing deer, £99.99
Against a backdrop of beautiful baubles, add a number of statement Christmas decorations to your tree to create
exciting spots for the eye to wander between.
Sea green branch decoration, £9.99; Mr & Mrs Hedgehog decorations, £6.99 each; Pink bird, £4.99
For extra entertainment, regularly reposition around the house to surprise guests!
The UK "ginnaissance" shows no sign of slowing, with 54 distilleries opening in 2018 - one a week! Get creative with the nation's new favourite tipple this Christmas.
1. Add botanicals. Gin botanicals set includes juniper berries, rose petals
2. Go local. Small batch Mermaid Gin from the Isle of White Distillery, £39.993. Try unique flavours. Cucumber gin, with a secret blend of ten botanicals, £34.99
Orchids make brilliant Christmas gifts for a plethora of festive occasions; give
to party hosts, green-fingered friends or even as a secret santa gift.
Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchids) are the best known, but Cymbidiums (Boat
Orchids) are also at their peak at this time of year. Their flowers have a colour spectrum including white, yellow, pink,
red and brown.
do the light thing
exotic beauty
3 statementtree decorations
3 characterful statues
gin 3 ways
1 2
3
Polka Frosty Snowman £14.99
Gold Giraffe
£24.99
Large Peacock Ornament
£99
If you are looking to bring a new hue to your Christmas decorations in 2019, think pink. Pink is a calming colour, linked to hope and optimism.
Hellebore fairies from £5.99; Pink glass bauble with crushed glitter band £3.99
branch out
eclectic christmas
Forest Folk StatueFill the garden with fun and fantasy. £29.99
Pot HangersFun additions for any pot, in a variety of designs. £5.99 each
Italian Deluxe Double Cutter Pasta MachineImpress your guests with homemade flavours £34.99
Great gifts for those with eclectic taste are unusual,
attractive, inventive or all of the above!
Find an abundance of ideas at hillier.co.uk/gifts
inspired SELECTIONS
and star anise, £14.99
12 13Hillier Gardening Club Magazine | Christmas 2019 | hillier.co.uk
Many of us are increasingly aware of how we interact with the world around us. Opting for a more natural style of Christmas means being conscious of the environment
as we plan festivities, along with the mood we create.
In our latest Gardening Club survey, many of you told us you would like more information and inspiration for gardening in a way that benefits the whole ecosystem. This has no doubt been the result of raised awareness thanks to ground-breaking programmes like BBC’s Blue Planet II. It is no surprise that the Collins English Dictionary Word of the Year 2018 was ‘Single Use’ as people across the UK look for more environmentally sound and sustainable solutions. There is also a real movement towards a greater appreciation of the simple things in life. This is embodied by the Danish concept of
hygge, which describes a mood of cozy wellbeing.
A natural Christmas style could mean looking for products made with recyclable and biodegradable products; decorating with plants and living materials and taking time to savour the sights, sounds and flavours of the season. It helps ensure the only footprint
you create this Christmas is in the snow.
Appreciation of the simple things in life
a greater natural christmas
14 15Hillier Gardening Club Magazine | Christmas 2019 | hillier.co.uk
One of the happiest sights of the season is the vibrant breast of a robin hopping in your garden. Don't forget to offer extra food for our feathered
friends in the colder months. Pick high fat content varieties, such as peanuts and suet and put up a nest box for
added shelter.
GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR GARDEN LOVERS
winter wildlife
Enhance your Christmas table display with natural treasures. Evergreen and variegated foliage with
pine cones makes a stylish display on a table runner. Add clove-studded oranges, cinnamon
sticks and tuck berries into napkins.
Table runner, £14.99; Red circle placemats, £2.99; Napkin rings, £2.99
dressingyour table, naturally
RECYCLABLELook out for our recyclable wrapping paper
in Centres!
Our most popular tree; Nordmann Fir 6ft
View our full range of real trees online at hillier.co.uk/christmastrees
1 42
5 7
3
6 8
CREATING WITH HILLIERPaper Baubles
Buoy your bauble collection with some home-crafted paper versions. This is a great way to make use of spare gift bags, brown wrap or colourful card.
Cut out 12 even sized circles from your material and fold sharply in half. Glue into pairs. Gradually glue each pair onto the next until you have an almost complete bauble shape. Glue a length of looped string onto the final segment ensuring when dry that the string will sit centrally, allowing you to neatly hang your bauble.
View complete guide at hillier.co.uk/paperbaubles
Your banister is a prime location for a festive spruce. Incorporate plenty of evergreen material, wire in pine cones and make some paper baubles.
Reusable imperial garland, £9.99; Add additional foliage from your garden.
stop and stair
What is more down to earth than spending time in the garden? Our huge garden gift range includes Nautical wellies, £29.99; Wooden bird house, £19.99; Love The Glove
gardening gloves, £14.99 and a plethora of gardening tools. Visit hillier.co.uk/gifts for even more ideas!
natural christmas
16 17Hillier Gardening Club Magazine | Christmas 2019 | hillier.co.uk
THE GREAT HILLIER GUIDE TO
Christmas TreesDiscover our range of UK GROWN premium quality
trees and follow their journey from seed to stand.
SIMPLE TIPS FOR A STYLISH CHRISTMAS
Bringing style to your Christmas festivities doesn't have to mean a lot of hard work and effort or even having a real penchant for crafts. Follow our suggestions for some
simple ways to bring pizzazz and interest to your Christmas plans this year.
We love a good Christmas cracker, but if you want to try something new this year, why not try table gifts instead? Place little games, chocolates or scented gift bags on each person's plate to set a brilliant atmosphere before the
first bite is even taken.
What could be simpler – or more wallet and environment friendly – than decorating with the bounty from your own garden? Snippets of rosemary look attractive and provide incredible scent placed in glasses or strewn across a table. Berries and foliage make sculptural floral decorations in vases. And, pine cones can be used almost anywhere – from being heaped in a bowl to used as place name holders.
A lovely way to show everyone to their seat is a bauble place name holder. Choose glass baubles and carefully
write each person's name on it. Use a permanent marker pen that is designed to work on glass. It also doubles up as a gift for them to keep and use in their own home for Christmases to come.
Bring Something New to the Table
Naturally ElegantLovely Bubbly
White Christmas Guaranteed
Everyone in their Place1
3
6
4 5
2
Will there be snow on Christmas Day? In your home, absolutely, when you add a little snow spray to your Christmas tree. Instantly transform the look of your tree into something that belongs in a magical Narnia wonderland.
Add a unique take to your welcome drinks without slaving over a
complicated cocktail recipe. Try adding a dash of elderflower cordial, a sprig of
rosemary and some orange peel to
your prosecco for a botanical treat.
If you are hosting Christmas dinner, there is enough excitement on the day without trying to dress your
table and suddenly discovering you don’t have enough clean glasses. Set
your table on Christmas Eve and not only will this make Christmas
Day run more smoothly, it will also create a beautiful backdrop for your
morning present opening.
A simple and eye-catching idea is to freeze attractive extras into your ice cubes. Cranberries, for example, look very vibrant. Simply place in the ice cube tray, top up with water, freeze
and add to drinks.
Decorate Ahead
Ice Cool
7
What are your shelves for if not creating fun displays? Give them a festive makeover by adding small bowls filled with baubles and decorations, miniature trees, pine cones or
any festive item that takes your fancy.
On the Shelf8
Don’t miss your exclusive Christmas tree
savings! Details on the front cover
of the offers leaflet in this magazine.
"We were very pleased with the quality of Christmas tree we bought from you the first week in December. It still looked great when we took it down in the New Year!" - Gardening Club member
GREAT BRITISH
TREES
uk grown
18 19Hillier Gardening Club Magazine | Christmas 2019 | hillier.co.uk
Your Christmas tree has been safely loaded into your car, made its way to your home, been un-netted, watered and now is in pride of place. This is the final stop in a journey that began many years previously, when seeds were planted on dedicated land in the UK by our specialist Christmas tree growers.
Each and every one of the real Christmas trees you can find at Hillier Garden Centres is UK grown and all of our suppliers are approved members of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA). This local provenance means your Christmas tree’s journey has reduced ‘green miles’. BCTGA membership also requires growers to adhere to a Code of Practice, to ensure trees are grown in a sound environmental and sustainable manner.
It is a common misconception that Christmas trees are chopped down from forests, but this is not the case. They are a specifically grown crop, with each tree maturing for 3-4 years before being harvested. Growers operate good field rotation management – i.e. they will harvest from one field, while another is used for trees for the next year, another for the next 2 years and on.
Starting from seed, all seed used for the cultivation of British Christmas trees must be selected from sustainable sources that do not present any threat to endangered species.
Our Christmas tree growers are very conscious of any impact to the surrounding area from the land used for the cultivation of trees. It will have been subject to a survey on environmental,
ecological or archaeological impact.
Considerable tender loving care goes into the fertilisation, shaping and pruning of trees by the grower to keep them healthy. Cultivation is always done in accordance with the best practice research. For example, Christmas trees provide an excellent habitat for many bird species. Growers take account of this, avoiding disturbing nests or young birds. Christmas trees are cut in winter, which has minimal effect on breeding or young birds.
At Hillier, we always inspect the trees at our suppliers in person to make sure we are happy with the quality. Christmas trees can be selected at different quality ‘grades’. We only purchase premium grade trees for sale in our Garden Centres. Premium quality means they are the best in terms of being healthy, with glossy, fat needles. They exhibit good bushiness, a nice shape and strong growth from base to tip.
Christmas trees destined for Hillier Garden Centres are cut just prior to delivery. We do not allow our trees to be cut earlier and put into cold storage, this way they are fresher – and the fresher they are, the longer they last.
Your Christmas tree should last through to the New Year with minimum needle drop.
Our growers cut our Christmas trees while netted to protect them and to keep the branches going the right way. They are put on pallets on delivery trucks and taken to Hillier Garden Centres. Within 24-48 hours, they will be taken out of the nets and placed onto stands so they can be shown at their best. They are now ready for you to come and choose your perfect tree, take it home and proudly display throughout the festive season.
Wander through our Christmas tree forests and enjoy the sight
and scent of real Christmas trees at this fun, free, social event, held
at all Hillier Garden Centres. Enjoy entertainment, festive drinks and nibbles, and more.
RSVP at hillier.co.uk/events
Make a date in your diary to browse our magical festive forests, surrounded by the scent of pine, to choose your Christmas tree.
There are plenty of other botanical treasures to discover too, from real foliage wreaths and garlands to containers bursting with winter colour. Our plant experts will be on hand with advice to help you choose your tree and, once you have found the perfect one, we will net it for you, keep it safe until you’ve finished
your visit and then carry it to your car.
the journey from seed to standall grown in the uk
Available at: All CentresDate: 28th November 2019
Festive Celebration Evening
Nordmann Fir (Abies nordmanniana)SIZES FROM 4FT-8FTThe most popular variety of real Christmas tree in the UK and for good reason. Its foliage is glossy and rich dark-green in colour. The needles are soft and renowned for not dropping.
Slim Nordmann FirSIZES FROM 6FT-7FT
Introduced to our Christmas tree range in 2018, the slim Nordmann has proved an instant hit. Its narrow, upright form makes it an ideal choice for smaller spaces.
Potted TreesSIZES FROM 2FT-5FT
There has been a surge of interest in pot grown trees. After Christmas they can either be re-potted and used for future Christmases or planted out in the garden. They are often chosen as a second tree, placed by the front door.
Noble Fir (Abies nobilis) 6FT ONLY
A very attractive Christmas tree variety with elegant tiered branches, like a wedding cake, making it ideal for showing off decorations. It has a soft blue-green needle colour and good needle retention.
Norway Spruce (Picea abies)6FT ONLY
The traditional Christmas tree, with a compact and bushy shape. It has an excellent green colour of foliage and reddish bark, along with an appealing pine fragrance.
Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri)SIZES FROM 6FT-7FT A compact tree, making it a good choice for smaller rooms. This delightfully scented Christmas tree has densely packed branches and the green needles are a pretty silver underneath.
Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)6FT ONLY
A striking and unusual variety. The needles vary from silver-green to icy blue, with the exact colour determined by the weather. This could be a good choice for an outdoor tree.
Korean Fir (Abies koreana)6FT ONLY
The Korean Fir offers densely packed dark green needles with silver underneath. It has an outstanding festive scent that will fill your home.
NEW FOR 2019
NEW FOR 2019
Find out more about our widest range of Christmas trees at hillier.co.uk/christmastrees
THE GREAT HILLIER
Christmas Tree GuideGREAT BRITISH
TREES
uk grown
Adam, our Horticultural buyer, inspecting Nordmann Firs in Scotland.
20 21Hillier Gardening Club Magazine | Christmas 2019 | hillier.co.uk
Hamamelis 'Rubin'
For many, winter is the season where we forget about the garden – we tidy it in the autumn and put it to bed until spring – but it needn’t be so. A well-planned winter garden can be just as striking as your spring and summer show, raising the spirits even when the weather doesn’t.
Flower, Leaf and Stem
Winter-flowering plants are less abundant than those that bloom in the summer, but they offer a lot. Exquisite colour and form are often complemented by amazing scent – an evolutionary race to attract the sparse pollinators at this time of year.
Hamamelis, or Witch Hazel, are medium to large shrubs or small trees with delicate and spider-like flowers in fiery tones of red, orange or yellow. Borne on bare branches after the attractive autumn foliage has fallen, the flowers are highly fragranced. Underplant with hellebores whose glossy green foliage sets-off beautiful single or double blooms. The H. niger and H. x ericsmithii varieties flower before Christmas and are usually white, while H. orientalis types flower later but offer different shades – reds, pinks, purples, yellows and even slate grey. Other great options for underplanting include hardy cyclamen, winter aconites and of course snowdrops – Galanthus nivalis is the common snowdrop but there are many varieties to choose from.
A fine stand-alone shrub, Mahonia japonica has leathery, spine-toothed, evergreen leaves which often colour
up in autumn and winter as the plant flowers. The flowers are usually yellow, some varieties orange, and are held in clustered racemes above rosettes of foliage. As a bonus, small, purple fruit follow, extending the season of interest.
For a smaller space, or to clip into a low hedge, Sarcococca confusa, or Christmas Box, is a fine choice. The glossy evergreen foliage stays mid-green all year round and the stems are graced by masses of tiny white fragrant flowers in December. Plant near a path to get the benefit of the glorious scent.
If you are planting against a wall or trellis, try tying Chaenomeles (or ornamental quince) for masses of flower power or Jasmine nudiflorum (winter jasmine) for a reminder of the golden sunshine of summer.
For stem colour it is hard to beat the dogwoods. Varieties of Cornus alba,
Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Snow Dance' Sarcococca confusa
The Beauty of the Winter Garden
Mahonia japonica
C. sericea and C. sanguinea have bright winter stems in shades from yellow, lime-green, orange and red to purple-black. Plant in groups of three or five for massed stem effect and cut back to 6-12 inches from the ground each spring to ensure the brightest stem colour the following winter.
Striking Contrasts
In the world-famous Winter Garden at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Romsey, one of the most striking plant pairings is the bone-white stems of Rubus cockburnianus, or white-stemmed bramble, arching over massed plantings of Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’.
If you prefer more colour in your garden, pair the orange stems of Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ with low evergreens such as Euonymus fortunei varieties or evergreen ferns. Summer grasses such as molinia, panicum and pennisetum often hold
their seed heads long into the winter and contrast well with evergreen plants such as Viburnum tinus in bud and flower at this time of year.
All (Year) Rounders
In a sheltered spot, an acer (Japanese maple) is a great winter plant. Many have bright winter stems almost as impressive as cornus. They are hardy in most UK winters once established but may need protection in colder years. Acer ‘Sango-kaku’ has red-orange stems while A. ‘Katsura’ is bright yellow and A. ‘Beni-maiko’ scarlet.
Skimmia offer year-round evergreen foliage, glossy green and attractive. They set bud in late summer and hold it throughout the autumn before flowering in late winter or early spring with a fragrant, lily-of-the-valley scent. The flower heads are actually made up of hundreds of tiny individual flowers. There are male and female varieties – females such as S. ‘Nymans’ will
produce red berries if pollinated by a male such as S. Rubella which tend to have showier flowers. There are also self-fertile varieties such as S. ‘Temptation’ with attractive flowers and berries together on the same plant. Skimmia look great planted alongside the dark winter stems of Cornus alba ‘Kesselringii’ or the bright red of C. alba ‘Sibirica’ and they do benefit from a little shade – too much sun can yellow the leaves.
Finally, one of the best year-round plants for the small garden is Prunus ‘Kojo-no-mai’. Look out for it in the early spring in full flower but plant it at least as much for the autumn foliage colour and the fantastic, architectural twisted stems of winter.
Cornus Sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
White Rubus and Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
Acer valley at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
Skimmia japonica 'Rubella'
EVEN MORE ONLINE
Visit hillier.co.uk for more ideas and inspiration in your
winter garden.
22 23Hillier Gardening Club Magazine | Christmas 2019 | hillier.co.uk
HILLIER CHRISTMAS RECIPES
1. Set the oven to 180Oc/160Ofan/Gas 4.
2. Keep the puff pastry and beaten egg to one side. Mix all the other ingredients together well (using your hands works best!)
3. Lay out the puff pastry and cut in half length ways.
4. Divide the sausage meat mixture in half. With each half, make a large sausage the length of the laid out pastry.
5. Lay the sausage a third of the way up from the nearest edge of the pastry. Brush the furthest edge with the beaten egg.
6. Lifting the edge of the pastry nearest to
you, roll up to cover the sausage filling completely.
7. Repeat the process with the second half of pastry and sausage meat mixture.
8. Brush all over with the beaten egg.
9. Cut each roll into 6 equal pieces. Using scissors, nip the top of each sausage roll 3 times, creating little steam vents. Place on a parchment lined baking tray.
10. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden brown.
11. Serve warm, or, cook in advance and reheat in a hot oven for 5 minutes before serving.
1. Preheat the oven to 200Oc/180Ofan/Gas 6.2. Lightly grease all over a 10-inch, deep loose-
bottomed, fluted tin. Cover the base with parchment.3. Line the tin with the shortcrust pastry, allowing the
pastry to hang over the edge all around. Cover with a round of parchment cut 4cm bigger than the tin and fill with uncooked rice (or ceramic beans if you have them).
4. Place on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and rice and return to the oven to cook for a further 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Then carefully trim off the excess pastry, running your knife along the edge of the tin.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 170C/150fan/Gas 4.7. To make the frangipane mixture, first melt the butter
in a saucepan and set aside.8. Beat together the caster sugar, eggs, ground almonds,
almond essence and orange zest in a bowl. Mix in the melted butter to thoroughly combine. Stir in the chopped pistachios.
9. In a separate bowl, mix your chosen spirit into the mincemeat. Spread over the base of the pastry case. Spread the frangipane mixture on top, using a pallet knife to level the filling.
10. Slash the pears and place on top of the frangipane.11. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and
golden-brown.12. Leave to cool before removing from the tin.13. Melt the apricot jam in a small pan
and brush over the tart. Sprinkle on the toasted flaked almonds and allow to set before serving.
• 1kg of good quality pork sausage meat
• 50g onion – finely chopped
• 50g dried cranberries
• 100g Stilton – in small dice
• 100g chopped cooked chestnuts
• 1 dessertspoon fresh sage – roughly chopped
• 1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 320g pack butter puff pastry
• 1 egg – beaten
• 500g ready rolled butter shortcrust pastry
• 200g mincemeat• 1 tbsp of rum or
brandy or sherry• 125g butter • 125g caster sugar • 150g ground almonds• 1 small orange zest
• 3 eggs, beaten• 1 tsp vanilla extract• 1 tsp almond extract• 25g pistachios -
chopped• 50g flaked almonds -
toasted• 1 tbsp apricot jam• 1 tin of pears
MAKES: 12 medium or 24 cocktail sized sausage rolls TIME: 50 MINS
MAKES: 12 medium sized mince pies TIME: 20 MINS
SERVES: 8 TIME: 1H 30 MINS
CHRISTMAS SAUSAGE ROLLS
MINCE PIES WITH A TWIST
CHRISTMAS PEAR & MINCEMEAT FRANGIPANE TARTDelicious
Festive RecipesThe colder winter months give rise to some of the most exciting flavours of the year — the richness of mincemeat, deep fruitiness of cranberries and heady waft of roasting chestnuts. These festive sweet and savoury recipes from Chris, our Hillier Development Chef will delight your guests on Christmas Day, or any day of the festive period.
HILLIER CHRISTMAS RECIPES
• 1 jar of good quality mincemeat• 50g dried cranberries• 25g of toasted hazelnuts – chopped (optional)• 250g mascarpone cheese• 2 tsp icing sugar• Grated zest of an orange• 1 packet filo pastry - defrosted• 100g butter - meltedMethod
1. Set the oven to 170Oc/150Ofan/Gas 3.2. Mix together the mincemeat, cranberries and
hazelnuts, if using, and set aside.3. Mix together the mascarpone, icing sugar and
orange zest; set aside.4. Unroll the filo pastry and cut into 24 equal
sized squares.5. Brush the bun tins with the melted butter.6. Lay out 12 squares of pastry. Brush with the
melted butter.7. Place another square on top of each, diagonally
to the first.8. Place one ‘pair’ of pastry squares into each well
of the bun tin and fill each with mincemeat. 9. Bake until golden and crisp, about 10-12
minutes.10. Set aside to cool and then spoon or pipe some
mascarpone mixture on top of each one.Decorate with some edible gold spray for a festive feel!
FLAVOURS OF THE SEASON
Visit hillier.co.uk/recipes for
inspiration on what to create in your
kitchen.
24 Hillier Gardening Club Magazine | Christmas 2019
Your Local Hillier Garden Centres
Banbury OX16 2PR Tel 01295 266 300
Bath BA2 2RG Tel 01225 421 162
Botley SO30 2EZ Tel 01489 782 306
Braishfield SO51 0QA Tel 01794 368 407
Cheddar BS27 3RU Tel 01934 745200
Chichester PO18 8FL Tel 01243 573 696
Dorking RH4 1NP Tel 01306 884845
Eastbourne BN24 5BS Tel 01323 763 240
Head Office The Stables, Ampfield House, Ampfield, Romsey. Hampshire SO51 9BQ
Hemel Hempstead HP1 3BA Tel 01442 242 637
Horsham RH13 6QA Tel 01403 210 113
Lechlade GL7 3DP Tel 01367 252372
Liss GU33 6LJ Tel 01730 892 196
Marlow SL7 3RB Tel 01628 482716
Newbury RG18 9TG Tel 01635 200 442
Sunningdale GU20 6LQ Tel 01344 623 166
Three Legged CrossBH21 6RDTel 01202 822203
Winchester SO22 5DN Tel 01962 842 288
OPENING HOURS
Mon - Sat 9.00am - 5.30pm Sun - 10.30am - 4.30pm (browsing from 10.00am)
Tuesday 24th December 2019 9.00am - 4.30pm
Wednesday 25th to Friday 27th December 2019
CLOSED
Saturday 28th December to Wednesday 1st January 2020
10.30am - 4.30pm
Thursday 2nd January 2020 Open as normal 9.00am - 5.30pm
Christmas Opening Hours
What’s on... AT CHRISTMAS
Available at: All Centres
Available at: All Centres
Date: 28th November 2019
Dates: 4th & 5th December 2019
Festive Celebration Evening
Table Decoration Workshop
£40pp
Available at: Newbury & BotleyDates: Newbury - 20th November
Botley - 21st November
Spectacular Christmas Desserts Cooking Class
£45pp
FREE £40ppAward Winning Wreath
Making WorkshopAvailable at: All Centres
Dates: 2nd December - 6th December Selected centres will be holding workshops on
Saturday 30th November and 7th December, find out more on hillier.co.uk/events
NEW!
NEW!
BOOK NOW
Visit or call your local centre or go online at hillier.co.uk/events
RGCMA061119A/B