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, to promote new growthLift and divide large clumps of hostaTrim winter-flowering jasmine and tie in new shoots to supportsSprinkle granular fertiliser around clumps of spring bulbsFinish pruning roses as soon as possibleCut down all previous year's growth

Prepare soil ready for sowing a lawn or laying turf during September and OctoberTop up water levels in pebble fountains and poolsDeal with problem lawn weeds, digging them out or applying herbicideOrder spring-flowering bulbs to plant this autumn

Add a cottage-garden feel to your patio with this simple pot project. The trio of narcissus, carex and aubretia provides instant colour, as plants can be bought in flower. If other spring flowers catch your eye at the garden centre, you could use

heapBuy tulip bulbs as soon as you find them but hold back from planting until late October-NovemberDig up gladioli corms after flowering to store until next springCollect seeds, lay them out to dry, then store them in labelled envelopesPrune rambling

Grow dahlias from seedColourful dahlias make a welcome addition to the late-summer garden and will continue to flower until the first frost. While many dahlias are grown from tubers planted in May, you can also raise them from seed.Knock heavy snow

and stone mulches on alpine gardens and scree bedsBuy summer-flowering bulbs to plant in spring, such as gladioli, tigridia, galtonia, eucomis, anemone, lily and acidanthera

Blue bulbsBlue is one of my favourite colours in the garden. Every year, I eagerly scour catalogues and flower-show exhibits for new varieties of blue-flowering bulbs. Plan ahead so you can enjoy a sea of blue in February, before the daffodils

roses to prevent hellebore leaf spot spreadingPick off developing seed heads on daffodils and spring bulbsSprinkle fertiliser over flower beds and around shrubs and roses

Alliums are spectacular plants and it's worth saving a few seeds to sow in the spring to grow some more for the garden. The seeds will germinate quickly and reach flowering size in a couple of years.SecateursPaper envelopesSeptember - October20

Plant lily bulbs in a potIf your garden suffers from gaps during the summer, why not use lilies to add a temporary, but timely, burst of colour? Plant bulbs into pots in spring and you can simply drop them - pot and all - into displays on the patio