December can be a noisy and hectic month in the run-up to the big day, while, in contrast, the garden enters a quiet period, a soothing balm to the hustle and bustle. Most of the deciduous trees have dropped their leaves and have begun their period of dormancy to wait out the winter. There are fewer flowers to enjoy but there is still much to appreciate out there.
Great for wildlife and terrible for burglars, mahonias are useful shrubs with spiky, architectural leaves and sun-yellow flowers that fill the air with scent. Hazel Sillver looks at which ones to grow and how
Advice on choosing the best winter flowering shrubs for your garden, including evergreen winter shrubs and scented winter shrubs. From BBC Gardeners' World Magazine.