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Lift dahlia tubers or protect those left in the ground with a thick mulch of straw or barkSow sweet peas now for bigger, earlier blooms next yearCollect seeds and berries from shrubs and flowering plants that you want to propagateEmpty and clean out

or perennialsSpread a thick mulch of bark over the crown of tender plants, such as fuchsias, dahlias and cannasPrune summer-flowering clematis, cutting stems back to emerging buds close to soil level

Plant up hanging baskets, and leave them in a sheltered spot before hanging fully outsidePlant out potted alliums in groups to add interest to flower bedsPrune spring-flowering shrubs immediately after flowering, such as forsythia, ribes

Keep baskets and patio pots wateredSpray roses to protect them from pests and diseasesCut the foliage of daffodils and tulips down to the groundTrim box topiary and formal edging to keep it neat and tidyTake cuttings of non-flowering new shoots from

around border plantsCut down annuals, add the material to the compost heap and fork over the bedsLay new lawns from turfStart to plant tulips in pots and bordersPile bark mulch over the crowns of hardy fuchsias to provide extra protection

Collect fallen leaves from under rose bushes so they don't carry diseases over to next yearLift and divide congested clumps of perennialsPlant crocuses and dwarf bulbs in areas of rough grassMake sure tall, late-flowering chrysanthemums are well staked

Plant tulip bulbs in groups to make drifts of spring colourAfter first frosts, lift and store dahlia tubers or leave in the ground but mulch heavilyPlant evergreen shrubs and conifers, including new hedgesLift tender cannas to avoid frost damage

the remainsTransplant shrubs that have outgrown their positionLift and store dahlia tubers once their leaves are blackened by frostPrune rambling roses after floweringRake autumn leaves from lawns and pick them out of borders for compostingPile bark mulch over

Cut late-summer-flowering clematis right down to soil levelDivide congested clumps of perennials such as asters, campanulas, rudbeckias and chrysanthemums after floweringPlant bare-rooted rosesDig up and compost exhausted summer beddingPlant out