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.But: they are not the easiest fruit to use: they are very hard and you can't eat them raw unless bletted (softened to mush by frost - like the medlar which is another neglected fruit). The Romans stewed them with honey (and surprisingly) leeks. In Syria it is used in lamb stew

and look at leaves now (take a morning off work if you have to). This is such a brief moment and all it needs is a sharp frost or a shower of rain and they will be instantly transformed from hanging jewels to a rustle on the pavement.

at the end of the year. However, I rather like the challenge of keeping things going, so will take out the cyclamen and bring into a frost-free greenhouse to try and get them through winter unscathed. If I can prevent their tubers rotting and start them back

and it is one of my great pleasures. The dark green leaves go perfectly with the aged brick, in the spring it is covered with frothy white flowers and come the autumn the branches are laden with red berries. When the hard frosts come we then have a wonderful

Flower Show. They have been grown without extra heat and no extra light in a greenhouse where the temperature does not drop below 4°C at night. This temperature protects from frost but does not force growth. Another good tip for those that want to bring

-no' with respect to the Chelsea Flower Show stock because you can hear the judges tutting already, even in February!For those that don't know about horticultural fleece it is a good way of protecting plants from frost. Later in the season it also protects plants

-loving bedding plants don't, and they'll flower their socks off. There's no let-up in their flower power either, and kept moist they'll be in flower from May to October or even November. It all depends on when a severe night frost brings their reign to an end

digging for me! All I tend to do is give the soil a thorough and deep forking over, breaking up any 'capping' on the surface caused by heavy rains. Mother Nature can take care of the rest of the work for me - winter frosts will kill slugs and break up

of Versailles in France include thousands of them, and they can be clipped quite harshly to keep them neat. Although various references call it frost-hardy others refer to it needing to be lifted and protected over winter. I wonder what treatment would be most

with curved tips carrying pollen-laden anthers. I was hoping some might have set seed, but no luck yet!With sweet peas long gone I've just checked and the cup-and-saucer vine still carries a few blooms despite the frosts of recent nights. Will I have flowers