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November is the month to plant tulips. There are few things more wonderful in this world than to cradle a tulip bulb in your hand; the rustling wispy-crispy skin and the smooth, slightly clammy flesh. Supremely organised and efficient gardeners

of colour and life; in the majority of cases this is to be welcomed. Hooray for the resurgence of tulips, whoopee for the return of the rose and yippee for the arrival of annuals.However, there are some plants which I am not looking forward to seeing again

.Looking at my garden this morning, however, I realised that we're a bit short of colour at this time of year. I know that within a few weeks the place will be alive with flower but right now it's a little flat.I didn't plant enough tulips last year. Right now

strip of land we use as a cutting patch. For years we had a few daffodils, tulips, snowdrops and gladioli growing in it, but this year a whole sack of daffs was added. They were a birthday present in February, so were planted quite late. The result? A

is so unexpected and so swift that you're only able to take six plants from your existing garden.So which six plants will you choose? Will you go for something big - a favourite cherry or a noble oak? Maybe an evergreen to liven up your winter? A rose

. This is the second volume - I am hoping to get the first for Christmas (hint, hint). A series of essays on a whole raft of fascinating subjects ranging from worms and guano to the Chelsea Flower Show and garden machinery (via plant hunters in China and Sir Walter