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36

LIFE

December 2011/January 2012 www.esb.ie/em

Have your very own beautiful wonderland at your doorstep.

The winter garden!

GERRY DALY

GARDENING

The earliest plants to flower are woodland plants, as they are soon to be faced with shading and competition from trees. By flowering early, many of these plants quickly set seeds, shed them and go dormant during the hot, dry summer months. Some winter plants are not woodland natives but come from rocky areas of very hot, dry weather in summer and go dormant.

MANY WINTER PLANTS can be tucked into a mixed border or bed, and when they finish flowering, they become unobtrusive. It is possible to fit in lots of these winter plants without compromising the garden for the remainder of the year. In fact, some kinds have value at other times, such as the handsome foliage of garrya all year and the superb autumn colour of witch hazel.

There are not so many trees that flower early, but acacia, garrya and witch hazels are three small trees that flower early. To those might be added the very early-flowering Prunus conradinae, which is superb in February and the purple plum, Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’. There are several very good shrubs or bushy plants, including camellia, early rhododendron, such as Rhododendron dauricum, correa, daphne, coronilla, sarcococca and lauristinus. Camellia can suffer from frost, but in mild areas and on acid soil, it is invaluable. The sweet box has tiny hidden-away flowers, but it has lovely sweet scent. Correa is for mild gardens with some shelter but it is a lovely little shrub.

Daphnes are great — Daphne mezereum has purple flowers in early spring and Daphne bholua, is even earlier, both wonderfully scented. Coronilla is bright yellow and lovely too. The yellow flowers on bare stems of winter jasmine are superb with berries of any kind. Lauristinus is a very easy evergreen shrub or small tree, winter flowering and very common. The winter heather, Erica carnea, is a lowgrowing small shrub that is widely grown for its winter colour and even just a few plants can make a huge difference in any garden large, or small.

The early bulbs are obvious candidates for the winter garden. The outstanding member of this group is the snowdrop which flowers from the turn of the year, and even before in some unusual species. This is easy to grow and a few clumps can be a greatly encouraging sign of the new year on the way. The little Cyclamen coum is an early flowerer, great on a rockery or in gravel or weak grass lawn. Crocuses are great early flowers too, in a range of colours, but especially the early Crocus tommasinianus, which self-sows freely in good conditions. The winter aconite likes damp places and it makes a great show of brassy buttercup yellow.

Perennial flowers such as the winter iris are invaluable, flowering from late autumn with incredibly large blue flowers in the darkest days of winter. The lungworts are pretty with their red or blue flowers. Hellebores are great and many are early with white or wine flowers. The skunk cabbage comes very early, likes moist ground on stream banks or ponds, and needs space.

Apart from flowers, the winter garden can make good use of evergreen foliage, berries and bark and the colour and shape of deciduous trees bare for the winter months, but these features are so much better brought to life with the flowering plants in tandem.

By Kathleen Thorne

BOOK REVIEW

Peace
By Richard Bausch
Published by Atlantic books
Price £4.93

It is nearing the end of World War 2. The Germans are retreating. A group of American soldiers are in Italy on reconnaissance duty. The leader of this group is Sergeant Glick.

They are on a miserable road in appalling wintery conditions when a cart comes towards them. The cart is laden with sodden straw and is driven by a seemingly innocuous pair of gypsy boys. Glick dismisses the boys and orders that the cart be overturned to search for weapons or contraband. Then, out of the sodden straw emerges a German officer with his ‘floozy’.

The German officer shoots two of the soldiers but he in turn is shot by Corporal Marson. But then Glick in cold blood shoots the woman. This gives rise to serious qualms of conscience and bickering among the remaining soldiers.

Glick then sends three of the men, with an elderly Italian as guide, up a mountain to see what is happening on a road in the distance. During this mission the men endure appalling hardships. It is wet and extremely cold. There are serious tensions among them and they are fired on by a sniper. Besides, they don’t really trust their Italian guide. The latter is evasive and clearly has his own issues.

While in many ways it is a heartbreaking story, Bausch’s writing is utterly gripping. In his pared-down language he draws the reader into the physical pain, the harshness of the conditions, the emotional state and quandaries of the men.

Peace is a story about human beings under severe duress. Their courage, moral fibre and physical endurance are tested to the limit. It begins with a cowardly act of murder on the part of Glick. It ends with another man’s brave and compassionate choice in the face of military orders.

Travel Venice - a magical water-world

TONY CLAYTON-LEA

TRAVEL

Queen of the Adriatic, City of Water, City of Bridges, City of Canals, La Serenissima – Venice is a place that has been so-named down through the centuries. Many people down through the centuries have tried to tame it, but the Most Serene Republic of Venice has resisted to the point where they eventually gave up and went on their way.

Venice in the winter might seem to you like the opposite of the word ‘holiday’, but if you’ve ever been to Venice in the summer you’ll know that it’s a city that likes to cram the visitors in, which is why we’re recommending a visit there in the colder months. It is damp? Yes. Is it chilly? Yes. Does it have an all-pervasive odour of drains? Yes. Is it the most beautiful city in the world, come hail, rain, snow or shine? Yes.

If you’ve been there before, then you’ll have an idea of what to expect; if you haven’t then prepare yourself for something else altogether. The city is deceptive in that it might not seem very large, but it’s actually built over 118 islands. Locals and tourists alike live on the water: day-to-day movement is conducted by the waterside, business personnel have their own motorized launches, people move house via the water, the police do what they do, and so on.

Four bridges span the aptly titled Grand Canal – the oldest is Ponte di Rialto, which dates back to deceptive in that it might not seem very large, but it’s actually built over 118 islands. Locals and tourists alike live on the water: day-to-day movement is conducted by the waterside, business personnel have their own motorized launches, people move house via the water, the police do what they do, and so on. Four bridges span the aptly titled Grand Canal – the oldest is Ponte di Rialto, which dates back tothe 1180s. Beside this noble, graceful bridge (and you really have to see it to make sense of such praiseworthy words), you will no doubt traipse through Pescheria, the city’s famous fish market, beside which is Erberia, the city’s noted fresh produce market. In such hives of activity you will experience the hum and atmosphere of the city in all its glory.

There is further glory, of course, outside the hubs of commerce. In fact, everywhere you look you’ll see movie sets come to life via waterside palazzos that, while undoubtedly suffering from what can be justifiably termed faded grandeur, are still sights for sore eyes.

Venice in the summer is hot, hot, hot. Venice outside the tourism season is cold, so muffle up, put on your gloves and scarves, and wonder at the cool, natural beauty that surrounds you. After that? Definitely a visit to Harry’s Bar, Calle Vallaresso, for a warm drink!

FACT FILE:

HOW TO GET THERE
There are many options to access Venice from Ireland. These include regular scheduled flights with Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com), Ryanair (www.ryanair.com), German Wings (www.germanwings.com) and Condor (www.condor.com). Flight time is just over 2hrs, 30mins.

WHERE TO STAY
Hotel accommodation in Venice is very expensive, so it might be more economical to source apartments. Try the website www.viewsonvenice.com for a very good selection of studio apartments, one-bed and double rooms – many of which are in the central San Marco area.

WHERE TO EAT
Again, there are too many options to recommend, but if you’re looking for a traditional, no-fuss place to eat and drink, try Alla Madonna, San Polo 594 (www.ristoranteallmadonna.com). It has been around for over 50 years, so it is clearly doing something right!