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the end of the 2012 growing season. The reason I’m flustered is that there’s so much still to do, and the most urgent job is to bring any tender plants that are still outside under cover before they’re damaged.I have a lovely selection of tender succulents

Watch Monty Don's video demonstration of how to plant a yew hedge, with advice on drainage, planting distances and mulching.spring or autumnMore advice on plantingPlanting a bare-root rosePlanting a shrubBare-root plantingPlanting a bare-root tree

. Look forward to a blaze of fiery reds, russet browns, oranges and butter yellows.AcerLarge potCompost (equal-part mix of ericaceous compost and John Innes No.3)CrocksDecorative mulchNovember - February20 minutesGather together everything you need

, firming with your boot to remove any air pockets.Water in well then spread a thick layer of compost around the shrub. Water weekly until it's leafy and well established.AdamUse bark mulch around the newly planted shrub for an attractive finish

shoot. Always cut just above a healthy, full-sized leaf. That's where the hormones concentrate, so the plant is able to produce a new flowering shoot quickly.Deadhead regularlyMulch roses in spring and autumn, with well-rotted compost or manure. Feed

-prepared ground. Choose bush varieties and let them ramble over a mulch to eliminate weeding. One or two plants produce plentiful crops and stay productive for weeks (providing you keep picking).Four time-saving veg cropsCourgettes, squashes and patty pansSow seed

is the ideal time to plant bare-rooted trees and there are few simple ways to give them the best start. Tree, tree tieCane, stringSpade, forkWooden stakeHammer, sawCompost, granular fertiliser, well-rotted manureMulch or bark chippingsNovember - February1 hour

in layers with the heel of your foot.When the hole is full, add a mulch of well-rotted compost to the surface of the soil to help conserve moisture. Water the rose well.AdamDon't plant during frosty weather as intense cold can kill the roots of the rose

Verbena bonariensis is semi-hardy, so plants may be damaged by winter frosts. Protect the roots with a layer of straw or mulch in winter, and don't cut back the dead stalks until new ones have emerged in spring. If left, verbena bonariensis will self-seed freely

thoroughly.Add a layer of decorative crushed stone or pebbles to the surface of the compost. This mulch will look attractive and help conserve moisture in the container.Advice and inspiration for container plantingChris Beardshaw's video guide to creating a