November: the old and the new

When the skies have not been filled with exploding fireworks, I have been enjoying the recent clear nights. I must have joined millions and millions of others through the ages gazing up at the unending sparkling display.

Which is why I find the trees in our local Romsey high street all the more fascinating: they belong to the genus Ginkgo, which extend back to the Middle Jurassic period approximately 170 million years ago and there is fossil evidence that the genus existed as far back as 290 million years ago. This is way longer than any other commonly used plants.

With male and female trees and a reproductive system akin to ferns, they are elegant, interesting and let’s face it, tough to have lasted that long. They are also pretty good to stare at if you are in a queue: it kind of puts waiting into perspective! There are various small and narrow forms that can be bought and depending on the size of your outdoor space, well worth considering as an addition to your garden.

Now is a good time to plant trees: try to do your homework to check that you are not giving yourself (or your neighbours) a headache for the future. Over pruned and over trimmed trees always look distorted to me as they are never seen in their full glory: plant breeders are constantly developing varieties that will be suitable for urban gardens where space is a premium. As a Hampshire garden designer based in Romsey I need to keep an eye on these developments.

On the maintenance side, there is plenty to do to get your garden in order before the winter sets in:

• Now is the time of year to prune Japanese maples. Make sure you cut right back to the branch or stem so as not to leave a “clothes peg”!

• Raking leaves can seem to be an endless task, but it is worth it. Firstly, it allows the lawn to breathe and reduces the chance of mould developing. Secondly, the leaves are good news in a compost heap when a layer of soil is added every 30 cm or so.

• Burning leaves is another way of processing them: the ash is good for the soil as it is high on potassium - the element that encourages fruit and flowers. Add any diseased plant material to the fire too including rose leaves that have black spot.

• Make a note of any attractive autumn-coloured shrubs: you may want to use them as part of your own garden improvements.

• Put rabbit guards on new trees to stop them gnawing at the bark if food is scarce in a harsh winter. Check tree ties too: loosen ones that are too tight as this can inhibit the flow of sap and therefore nutrients, around the tree.

• Prune shrub and standard roses by about a third in order that the wind does not rock them (!) and damage the root system.

• Lift pots and containers off the ground by a few centimetres and give them “feet” of tiles or stone to avoid water logging. Pots that are fragile should have their winter wrap to prevent frost damage: bubble wrap is effective.

• Continue to mow lawns until the frosts come in, raising your blade to the maximum height as the month goes on.

• Leave ivy untrimmed as it will produce berries as valuable food for the birds in the spring. Clean and fill bird feeders and put out fat balls.

It is hard not to be feel awe inspired when looking at the many and varied ways that trees have developed through the ages. They are the lungs of the world, provide buiding materials, our food, our medicine, sometimes our fuel and more recently have been valued as part of our recreation and essential contributors to our mental health.

Thinking of buying someone something special for this year? Look no further!

October: golden glow!

Gold is definitely already the colour of the season for me!

Last weekend I visited Chelsea Flower Show and not only did pals of mine win several gold medals with the outstanding Psalm 23 sanctuary garden, but the flavour of the show and the plant highlights had a golden glow.

As we enter autumn and hopefully enjoy the last of the summer wine, we can expect to be treated to those days of startling blue skies bringing out the oranges, golds and reds of the season. These are days to be savoured.

When you are not leaning on your rake sipping a cuppa as you stare at the falling leaves(highly recommended), some of the jobs to be done this month are:

• Pruning roses to prevent damage during the windy, winter months. As a rough rule of thumb, prune shrub and bush roses back by about a third. Climbers and ramblers can be thinned by about a third too.

• Plant trees and shrubs once the wet and the cold are really here.

• With the longer summers, bulbs such as daffodils and crocus can be planted: remember to plant them deep enough (ideally, 3 x their bulb size).

• Get your compost area primed and ready for the autumn: make sure you have a waterproof cover as this will help retain the heat. Old carpet or sheets are ideal. If you can have your compost heap on soil rather than a hard surface, you will give access to those all-important worms.

• Harvest your fruit but bear in mind that if you don’t remove all the protecting netting, you will allow birds to feed off those pesky pests.

• Cut back the perennials that have died down, but again, think about leaving plants that have seeds for the winter birdlife.

• This is the best time of year for lawn repairs as the soil is still warm and the amount of rainfall is increasing. For the best results, undertake the three main jobs of scarifying, aerating and applying topsoil.

• Pots and containers can easily become waterlogged in winter. By taking them off their saucers and by giving them “feet” to keep them off the ground, you will ensure good drainage.

There was something of a sense of triumph at this year’s Chelsea: the show was able to go ahead despite the postponement from spring due to you-know-what and all the blood sweat and tears paid off. There was something of a sense of celebration that we were able to get out, get together and get it together.

Surely that is worth its weight in gold …and long may it continue!

September: chopping and changing

Something tells me summer might be over. Maybe it is the cost of holidays, maybe it is the number of schoolchildren now gathering in sweetshops or maybe it is the fact that the evenings are considerably chillier!

Plant growth will slow down now and given how wet some of the summer has been and just how many weeds exploded into life, that is probably not a bad thing. Whilst herbaceous plants have never looked better, bindweed, ground elder and docks have all followed suit.

When the opportunity arises, it is a good idea to spread mulch of some sort around the bases of trees and shrubs as well as on the beds. This will at least give you a head start against the weeds next year as well as helping keep in moisture and provide some nutrition if you use well rotted manure or compost.

One thing to be especially wary of at this time of year is an incredibly annoying and destructive insect called vine weevil. They make irregular notches on the edge of leaf margins and the grubs feed on root systems of herbaceous plants. Heuchera are especially vulnerable. Biological control is the most environmentally friendly way to address this problem: nematodes (impossibly tiny worms) can be bought online and applied as a saturated powder. Despite the apparent lack of action when applied, it is a very effective solution to a very trying problem.

When not partaking in insect wars and designing gardens in Hampshire, there are plenty of garden jobs to do in September:

• Beech and hornbeam can be given a light trim to keep them neat throughout the winter. As semi-evergreens they provide useful screening

• Deadheading will still produce results, especially with Dahlias that can look good until the first frosts.

• Be selective when cutting back your herbaceous plants: many of them will provide seeds for wildlife as well as being attractive in the winter frosts and sunlight

• Raking out the thatch from your lawn (scarifying) and using a fork or an aerator to spike your lawn will improve drainage and the quality of your lawn. Where there are bare patches, sowing seed over spread topsoil and feeding the lawn in spring will give a fresh, green appearance.

• Divide herbaceous perennials that have become too big for their spot: it is remarkable how many plants can be teased out of one large clump. Be generous and give some of it away: you are very likely to have the compliment returned.

• If you have a pond near a tree, it is worth placing a net over the water to catch the leaves when they descend in autumn

• Eke out the last colour in your pots and hanging baskets by trimming off the dead growth and feeding with liquid fertiliser.

If you need a bit of a “pick-me-up” then maybe think about ordering bulbs to be planted this autumn to come out in spring. Don’t hold back – if you buy daffodils in bulk for example, they as cheap as chips.

Too many plants in the garden? Nah, no such thing. If anyone complains you can ask them if they prefer weeding or enjoying the spectacle of borders bursting with life? No contest.

August: wet and weedy

I feel rather sorry for those responsible for keeping lawns, hedges and borders trimmed this month. The wet and warm weather have boosted plant growth, including every sort of weed under the sun!

Whilst the rain has dampened surfaces and the soil, it is worth noting that when I recently dug in a plant, I saw that all this rain had barely penetrated 25mm (an inch) down. Hanging baskets and pots will still need watering as will plants introduced in the past year.

Plants and borders can get a bit raggedy at this time of year, especially if there are high winds: it is worth trimming, dead heading and tying back where they are becoming unruly. Geraniums and Dicentra particularly benefit from this treatment. As a Hampshire garden designer I try to give my clients as much direction as possible for their new borders.

Where weeds such as bindweed have begun conquering borders, a bare minimum of pulling off what you can manage will at least stifle its progress. I recently painted some leaves of bindweed that was smothering a large rose: the result wasn’t instant, but it was certainly effective and after a month the bindweed shrivelled up in a very satisfactory manner. I don’t like using weedkiller if I can help it but the judicious use of Roundup or something similar, can often be the only way to tackle a weed problem if time is limited.

Regular hoeing will gradually weaken bindweed, ground elder and horsetail. It is bit like our recent global health challenge - you have to keep at it to bring about change!

Hopefully, many of the folk I know are able to take a well-earned break, especially if they feel it is not well earned. Everyone I know needs a break.

If you are not out and about or away on a trip, the following jobs are good to get done this month:

• Dead head herbaceous plants, not forgetting dahlias and roses: these will all usually give you repeat flowering later in the year.

• Wisteria will need their summer prune. This gives a chance for light and air to ripen sturdier growth and produce better flowers. The technique is to cut back the whippier new tendrils to about 5 x buds, to just above the bud. Do not forget that Wisterias need another chop in late winter.

• Keep ponds topped up with water, preferably “grey” water collected from roof run off. Try to avoid using a hose when everyone in the neighbourhood is having a shower or washing up: they won’t thank you when the water pressure drops!

• Cut back rambling roses when they have finished flowering. Be brutal -they are!

• Hedges can be given a final trim before their growth begins to slow down in September.

• Black spot on roses is very common at this time of year: clear fallen leaves and burn them to prevent spread.

Make the most of this wet august: the hedgerows in the countryside are stunning with all sorts of wild flowers bursting out and competing for space. That isn’t the best of it: not only can you enjoy the show, you can relax in the knowledge that you won’t have to do any weeding, trimming, feeding or watering!

July: buzzing around!

July is a month when the natural world can often seem at its fullest. The heat of August has not yet taken its toll when leaves, crops and grasses can become crisp with dryness.

The extent to which the weather affects plant and insect life came home to me recently when I lived in shepherd’s hut in a meadow for a few days: the variety of insect life was astonishing - and a bit too close for comfort at times! The weather had clearly impacted the growth rate of habitats and therefore the wildlife being hosted. This, in turn, affected the number and types of predators. I think the term “world wide web” has been attached to the wrong phenomenon!

When you are not gazing at spider’s webs, looking up to spot birds of prey on a country walk or picking out bugs that are a bit too up close and personal, there are plenty of jobs to be getting on with:

• Water your containers and newly planted trees and shrubs: it is surprising how quickly they will dry out.

• Deadhead roses and keep an eye out for signs of powdery mildew, blackspot or rust. Prevention is always better than cure so water, feed and pick off rust or blackspot affected leaves.

• Cut back delphiniums and geraniums after the first flush of flowers to encourage a second flowering period. Feed after cutting them back.

• Prune June-flowering shrubs such as Philadelphus and Weigela after flowering. Prune deciduous magnolias if necessary.

• Prune Wisteria in cooler areas, waiting until next month in warmer counties to prevent the plant producing too much new growth after pruning. Cut back to 5 or 6 leaves.

• Fast-growing hedges such as Leyland cypress should be clipped as necessary throughout the growing season. Clip topiary to the desired shapes.

• Box plants and hedges have been increasingly susceptible to damage by caterpillars in recent years. If you find any, pick them off or spray them but be aware that warm, wet weather can cause leaf drop due to box blight fungal infection.

• If your floral displays need perking up give them a weekly shot of high-potassium liquid fertiliser. Deadhead the flowers when they are over.

• Lawn growth begins to slow this month and by mowing as little as possible, lawn “weeds” can flower providing food for pollinating insects.

• The bird population will appreciate keeping the bird bath topped up but by keeping them clean, you prevent the spread of diseases such as bird pox.

• Ponds are never maintenance-free! Thin out vigorous oxygenating plants leaving the prunings on the side of the pond to allow the aquatic creatures back into the water. Try to keep about 30% of the water clear of plants.

• Baby hedgehogs will be looking for sustenance this month: leaving the slugs for them to eat and ensuring ponds gently sloped access points will help.

• Try to use your hose outside the times when the water system is most in demand bearing in mind that “grey water” from water butts, cleaning and run-off is the best option.

The natural world is never static and the constantly shifting patterns and populations of wildlife are testimony to this. Five years ago, there were two buzzards living in a nearby woodland: they have been pushed out by the arrival of pairs of red kites.

What can I do in my little patch to encourage a diverse insect (including bee) life? And by the way, I have yet to see a much cared-for space encouraging wildlife that is ugly. Truth and beauty – the eternal twins!

June: green fireworks!

I must have a short memory.

Every June I go out into the garden and the countryside and say to myself “WOW - I didn’t expect this to be so good!”. Maybe I have a goldfish gene pattern but this year more than ever I have been struck by the majesty of the trees, the hedgerows and the wildflowers. If you need inspiration, find a horse chestnut tree in the next week and stare. Yes, that is it. Just stare at it for several minutes - I dare you!

In fairness to my tiny brain, the spring showers has meant that everything is more lush than last year when we experienced a spring drought. Now, it is as if everything has been holding back like a taut bow and is finally able to show its full glory. It is a stretch to get away from being a garden designer based in Hampshire when I have so much to do in the garden!

I guess us humans are a bit like that too after the past year.

As an anti-dote, may I suggest you do not hold back with the summer bedding, the fresh paint on the shed, the tasteful repainting of outside walls and, dare I say it, some bunting for special occasions. With so many images of gardens and courtyards on the net, ideas have never been so accessible. Pots, tiles, coloured glass, broken ceramics, beads, mirrors, outside lighting (even wellies!) can all have a place if used judiciously with an eye to the style of the house and garden.

The trick is to integrate these ideas into the garden design as a whole, so there isn’t just one corner with an overload of concepts. With lighting especially, less is often more, but much can be achieved by using a careful touch.

So, when you are not going playing with new ideas, there are plenty of jobs to do this month:

• Putting out summer bedding hanging baskets and bedding now the frosts are over.

• Cutting down the stems of the spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils.

• Cutting and clipping Privet, box and evergreen honeysuckle hedges (Lonicera nitida)

• Philadelphus, Kolkwitzia, Weigela and Deutzia can all be pruned after they have flowered. In doing so the new growth will have time to develop in order that they may flower the following year.

• Give Clematis montana a good hacking if needed when they are over (they can take it!) and tie in other climbers.

• Remove stems of any variegated plants that are reverting to their original colour or the whole plant will ‘revert’.

• Divide Hosta as they come into growth and fill out any gaps in the borders with bedding.

• Stay on top of the weeds, especially the thugs such as ground elder, bindweed, mare’s tail and bramble: nothing like a spade to get them out.

• Give ailing plants a shot of liquid feed as that is the best way to give them a lift.

• Keep a close eye on the soil moisture levels as newly established plants can easily suffer.

• Evergreens such as Viburnum tinus and Choisya can also be cut and shaped once they have flowered.

• Roses can be deadheaded to encourage repeat flowering when they fade. Do this by cutting just above the first leaf below the faded bloom.

• Keep your lawn trimmed and edged but do not go mad if drought conditions appear.

As we know, there is still quite a journey to be made, but we have come an awfully long way in the past year. I, for one, will be celebrating that. Somehow, each year, I always seem to remember the strawberries and cream.

May: opening up

I have always proclaimed an aversion to too much pink in the garden. Whether this is because I have seen too many “My Little Pony” dolls or not I don’t know. However, I do know that, as with many of my other prejudices, I am once again being proved wrong.

Outside my window a cherry and two crab apples are blossoming. On its own, the baby pink of the cherry would turn me off, but adjacent to the whitish pink and the deep cerise of the Malus, the combination is harmonious and vibrant.

So it is with colours in general - it is not just the colours themselves that one has to consider as a Hampshire garden designer when designing a border or choosing materials for a seating area: it is the surrounding colours too. For example, the colour blue will look extraordinarily vibrant when surrounded by a strong yellow: when blue set amongst pale blues and pastel violets the effect will be relaxing: the colours will be recessive, in other words, appearing to be background rather than a yellow which will appear as a foreground colour.

It is worth looking up the classic colour wheel to see which colours complement each other and which do not. You will discover why orange and pink seem to work against each other and are avoided at all costs by most designers (unless you want to draw attention to something or someone!).

These principles apply to all design and almost everyone has an intuitive sense of the dynamics colour. Think traffic lights. Interestingly the colour with the lowest frequency and therefore the most relaxing to the eye is green. Hence the acres of books being written on how gardens and growing things are beneficial to our health. Ask anyone with a dog, a garden, an allotment or a granny and they would tell you that for nothing!

So, when you are not choosing plants, curtains, clothes and cushions there are general maintenance jobs to be undertaken in May:

• Pruning those plants that have been affected by cold winds and the winter such as the Acer or Choisya. Cut back the stems to the healthy growth.

• Cutting back to 10 centimetres from the ground those tender plants that are shrub-like in habit but that are actually herbaceous plants. These include Caryopteris, Fuchsia and Penstemon.

• Putting in plant supports where needed and canes to mark where vulnerable plants are emerging: by doing this they will not be overlooked when watering and weeding.

• Lowering the blade of your lawn mower as the grass becomes more lush and more able to take a finer cut.

• Feeding your lawn with a nitrogen rich fertiliser - preferably an organic one.

• Tying in roses and other climbing plants. Be as brutal as you like when cutting back Clematis montana after it has flowered (short of hacking it down to the ground!).

• Adding compost or manure to the base of shrub and standard roses.

• Dividing and replanting herbaceous plants that have flowered including Brunnera, Pulmonaria and Primula.

• Lifting and dividing daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs.

• Make sure your pond has ledges and access points for wildlife (such as tadpoles) to get in and out of the water. Clear off any excess pond weed.

It is only a matter of time before the shades and hues of the garden begin to explode into life. I challenge you to count up just how many greens alone you can see in your patch. What was that that Shakespeare wrote about “infinite variety”?

April: bustin' out!

It looks like we are in for another very dry spring.

ALERT! Plants that have been put in during the pandemic will need some TLC to get them underway. Water them every week for as long as the dry spell continues. This need not be every day but a good soak twice a week will encourage root growth: this will enable the plants to start drawing on the natural resources around them.

The clue to all this is in the word nursery! At the garden centre and the growing nursery, plants will have been cosseted by having wind barriers, ideal nutrient mixes, pest and disease protection… and the full attention of the accounts department! The nurseries need good turnover and attractive plants to survive!

Once bought, the plants are sent out into a cruel, hard world where they have to learn to survive! Weaning them off the level of care found in nurseries is of course, also part of a good process. After one year, most plants should, by and large, be able to fend for themselves.

Pots can sometimes have root systems that are so developed, they choke the plant and end up growing in a circular direction. Secateurs can cut open the plastic pot and by teasing the roots outward they can be encouraged to spread. The RHS has recommended digging square planting pits for shrubs and trees to encourage this growth.

The main jobs for this month are:

· Tie in climbing and rambling roses as they take off in the warmer weather.

· Loosen tree ties where necessary.

· Cut back the stems of Forsythia once they have finished flowering and hardy Fuchsia to healthy buds.

· Plants that have attractive young growth, such as Cotinus (smoke bush) and Sambucus (elder) can be cut back to make way for the bright new juvenile stems.

· Feed trees and shrubs with either an all-round slow-release fertiliser, such as ‘Blood, Fish & Bone’ or with an organic fertilizer such as horse or cow manure. Be generous to depleted looking plants and newly planted ones.

· Grass seed can be sown to create a new lawn or repair an old one. Add slightly more than the recommended amount as conditions are rarely perfect and, one way or another, quite a lot of seed can be lost to the birds, the frost or to damp.

· Be gentle with your lawn: if you cut it too hard, the structure of the stems will be damaged. For the average garden lawn, 30mm is an ideal height of grass to aim for at this time of year.

· If you have not done so already, cut back Cornus (dogwood) and Salix (willow) shrubs to 150mm from the ground. This will increase the chance of producing bright looking stems for the winter.

· Divide and replant water lilies when they show signs of growth. Do the same for other pond plants.

· It is quite natural for your pond to go green in spring. It should clear of its own accord but if it does not, consider adding oxygenating plants. Feed your water plant baskets with specially prepared fertiliser that will not turn your pond dark green due to the excessive nitrogen.

· Try to get on top of the weeds in borders as they emerge. A well laid out garden should have plenty of dense plant cover to suppress the weeds. Hoeing is probably the most effective and easiest way to keep weeds at bay: it is also kinder to your back!

· Once again, watch out for dry spells: these can knock the growth of a plant back, so be prepared to do some watering of newly planted trees and shrubs.

It is hard to see how the pattern of drier, longer growing seasons will change in the near future.

Maybe time to think about more water storage, using roof water run-off and choosing more drought tolerant plants? You would not be the first if you incorporated these into your garden!

March: bloomin' lovely!

The noticeable rise in temperature and the daffodils emerging seem to be giving everyone I know a much-needed shot in the arm…as well as the one the NHS is giving us! I don’t think I have ever eagerly awaited the spring as much as I have done in the past few months.

After a few hours at the allotment and cutting back the ornamental grasses in my borders, I am also reminded what back ache, hot baths and wine as a relaxant are: all worth it of course! I love designing gardens in Hampshire but there is nothing like getting one’s hands dirty!

On close inspection there are a number of shrubs coming into leaf and even flower - the Daphne being the star of the show. Daphne range from the small varieties only 30 cms tall, to 2 - 3 m high shrubs whose intoxicating scent can be detected from far away. Hard to establish and always looking as if they are too delicate to survive, once they get going, they give the reward of a winter and late spring show and scent.

Daphne mezereum is a popular small variety or go for the tall powerfully scented Daphne bholua Jacqueline Postill if you want to fill a sheltered corner with a winter and early spring stunner. Add plenty of organic matter when planting.

Tasks this month include:

• Mulching your borders with compost or well-rotted manure in order to feed and improve the structure of the soil.

• Keep planting bare-root trees and shrubs but wait until the end of the month before you plant or move evergreens.

• Cut back dogwood and willow shrubs with the vibrant stems if you want them to produce strong colours next winter. Taking them down as far as 100mm (4 inches) from the ground is fine. (The ‘Winter Flame’ varieties should be left for a few years until they are established).

• When the worst of the frosts are over, divide and replant clumps of herbaceous plants that have become too dense for their own good.

• In heavy soil and cold areas, march is the best month for planting roses. Prune bush roses by about a third of their height.

• In preparation for the new growth and flowering in the summer, prune Buddleja, Caryopteris, Ceratostigma, Hydrangea paniculata, Leycesteria, Lavatera, Perovskia and hardy Fuchsia. Look up how far back they should be pruned: this will vary according to what you are trying to achieve and the location of the plant. A general rule of thumb is 80% of their existing foilage.

• Deadhead daffodils when they are over, but leave the foliage on order that the bulbs can be fed.

• Plant and divide snowdrops and winter aconites.

• Plant summer flowering bulbs and sow some seeds such as sweet peas.

• Cut back ornamental grasses, even if they do not look unruly, as this will make way for new growth.

• If the dry weather persists, be prepared to do some unseasonal watering of newly installed plants.

I recently read about the famous Tudor royal gardeners and plant hunting family, the Tradescants. They used to make a growth-promoting liquid fertiliser by leaving comfrey and nettles in still water. This is a practice that survives to this day and is enjoying a resurgence.

How very re-assuring.

February: make way!

I love this time of year: it is all about promise. Every foray into the garden reveals another sign of life: daffodils, aconites, cyclamen and hellebores are all beginning to show their full glory and those who are keen will be preparing for spring.

A very practical advantage of gardening at this time of year is the fact that deciduous plants still have no leaves: it is easier to see what you are doing. You can get at all those annoying docks (Plantains) with a spiked weeding trowel and dig out the overwintering perennial grass weeds without having to fight through walls of greenery. Likewise, trees and shrubs are far more accessible at the time of year when many of them are best pruned.

Remember - the main reasons for pruning are to remove dead or diseased growth, to shape a plant and to improve the air circulation and access to sunlight. All these actions will help keep your plants healthy.

Mulch and feed all plants after pruning to bolster the replacement growth. Bark chippings over a handful of slow-release, organic fertiliser such as 'Growmore' or 'Blood, Fish & Bone' will do the job, as will any well-rotted manure or compost.

So, on the 'to-do' list is:

• Between now and mid-March and after the heaviest of the frosts, many summer-flowering species can be cut back hard to encourage vigorous spring growth. This category includes Buddleja, Hydrangea, Ceratostigma, Leycesteria, Perovskia, hardy Fuchsias and deciduous Ceonothus. A rule of thumb as to how far to cut is: prune down to approximately one tenth of the existing height of the plant.

• Avoid pruning the deciduous Prunus species (almonds, ornamental cherries and plums) as they can be susceptible to silver leaf if pruned before the summer.

• Snowdrops can be lifted and divided after they have flowered and whilst the shoots are still green and vigorous.

• Trim winter-flowering heathers (Ericas) after flowering.

• Climbers such as Virginia creeper and ivy can be chopped back to keep them in order.

• Winter flowering jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) can have their new shoots tied into the main framework and their lateral growth shortened to about 5cms from the main stems.

• Clematis are a bit more complex. They can be cut back to the lowest, most vigorous pair of buds the variety belongs to Group 3 (check the label).

• Nesting boxes for birds put up now will enable them to check out their potential homes before calling the removal men and starting a family.

• Wait until mid-spring before turning your compost heaps as hibernating frogs, small mammals and possibly some small gardeners may still be over-wintering there.

A bit of late winter drama by way of pot-grown bulbs and primroses will not only give a bit of a colour but will also support and encourage bees emerging from hibernation.

Something to get out of bed for and put a smile on someone’s face?!