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the dahlia was persona non grata in our gardens and was banished to the vegetable garden, where it was grown purely as a cut flower or for competitions. Dahlias were they garden equivalent of battery hens. Now they range happily through our borders bringing

Do you have an autumn clear-up in your garden? Do you cut down all your herbaceous stuff so that everything is tidy for the winter or do you leave everything until the new year? Most people nowadays leave it until later to give food for small birds

of autumn colour. If you can spare a moment from harvesting pumpkins, admiring dahlias and cutting things back then this is a good time to think of your last garden visits of the season. Get out there and see some leaves.The great places for autumn visits

We've just been allocated more space on the allotment, so we now have a full sized plot. As well as planting many more spuds - which will keep the 'old man' happy - we can also plant the cutting garden my daughter always wanted. Despite

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when the plants are less likely to wilt, and pot them up as soon as you can, keeping them out of strong sunlight.PinksCuttings compostGardeners' knifeSecateursSmall potsJune20 minutesSnip 10cm lengths from the tops of healthy, non-flowering shoots

Taking root cuttings couldn't be easier and it's the ideal way to increase your stock of perennials, such as phlox, rhus, mint, Japanese anemones and Primula denticulata (see picture). Take cuttings now and you'll be potting up new plants in spring

-sided tape. Leave about 5cm excess at the edges.Use a hairdryer to blow the film until all the wrinkles disappear and it goes tight. Snip off the surplus film with a pair of scissors.AdamUse garden wire and pegs to anchor your cloche to the soil.More advice

Create your own 'cutting patch' with Sarah Raven's video guide. Learn how, by growing cut-and-come-again annuals and biennials in a separate bed, you can prevent your borders from looking bare. springMore advice on growing flowersGrowing lupins

Cuttings taken from new shoots will root easily in spring to provide new plants for flowerbeds or pots. Alternatively take cuttings of your favourite plants in late-summer to overwinter indoors ready for planting or potting in the following season