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Nettles have a bad reputation among gardeners. Although they sting and are invasive if left unchecked, there are numerous ways they can be put to positive use in both your garden and kitchen. Learn more, below.Nettles are a magnet for beneficial

-grown seedlings, spring and early summer is the time to plant them out. Raising them from seed is cheaper but adds a few weeks to the process - so if this is for you, it's time to get sowing!Young brassica plantsGarden line or string and canesTrowelSeed trays

vegetables, you will get a heavier crop if you grow leeks in a well-lit position, with soil that has been improved by the addition of plenty of organic matter. Leek seedsMulti-purpose compostPots or seed traysGarden forkStringBroom or large dibberWatering can

attractive to butterflies and moths. If left to seed, it will naturalise all over the garden.Verbena bonariensisThis climbing evergreen provides a supply of nectar and pollen until late November. Holly blue caterpillars also feed on its leaves, while many

(Joe-pye weed)Useful websites for wildlife gardeningGardeners' World wildlife blogsMake a bee hotelMore plants for beesWildlife gardening tipsButterfly Conservation Trust

, by July and August there are millions more hungry mouths to feed. For tits, finches and sparrows, garden feeding stations provide a real lifeline. And even for birds like robins, wrens, thrushes and blackbirds, availability of insects, fruits and berries