The garden in December

Barbarazweige (sprig cut on St. Barbara’s Day, December 4th): If you cut a few twigs of forsythia or from a cherry tree and keep them in water in a warm place, the buds will soon swell. With a bit of luck they will blossom a few weeks later, at Christmas time, blooming yellow, white or pink.

Winter pruning: trees and shrubs are pruned during the dormancy period; fruit trees and berries are thinned.

Annual closing: December 22nd to January 6th.