JINGLE bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! A carol as Christmassy as Michael Bublé drinking eggnog from a Champagne saucer while riding a reindeer. Wrong! Jingle Bells isn’t a song about Christmas at all…
When composer James Lord Pierpont penned the ditty in 1857, his aim was to capture the high-octane après-race antics of sleigh racers. That’s why the verses (which have been politely dropped from the festive version) refer to crashes, taking out girls, helpful tips on acceptable race times, and the fastest horses – ‘Bobtailed bays’, in case you were wondering.
Aptly, the fabulous winter-flowering Clematis cirrhosa ‘Jingle Bells’ is also not as Christmassy as it seems. Its flowers might be green and white like mistletoe, and chime with the festive season, but it’s a tourist to our shores that’s happiest in its native home on the islands and sun-baked slopes of the Mediterranean.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
To dig or not to dig?
Should we be carrying out a full dig on plots now? Bob considers the pros and cons of the 'autumn dig' debate
The box ball blues
As if his beleaguered box hadn't already taken a beating, Toby now has to deal with some hungry box caterpillars
Save your own seeds
Masterclass on: seed saving
Strange sightings
Three unusual insects turn up in Val's garden in one day
A bolt from the blue!
Cornflowers are perfect for garden and vase
Winter moth prevention
Ruth shows you how to avoid maggoty tree fruits
Create a winter container
There are as many options as in summer
Lightweight gardening tools
AS well as being good for our mental health, gardening is also great exercise.
Autumn price round-up
AG finds better bargains in lesser-known brands
Rudbeckias
Rudbeckias are ideal for sunny summer patios and borders, with some able to survive our coldest winters
