the great hillier christmas...snowman £14.99 gold giraffe £24.99 large peacock ornament £99 if...

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


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

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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


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


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

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3

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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


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


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.


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.


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

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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

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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

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