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Plant lily bulbs in pots for colourful summer displaysPrune shrub roses to low new shootsCut back overgrown honeysuckle stems close to their base, just above new shootsTrim back old shoots of perennials left for winter interest, taking care

take a couple of years for them to establish, your patience will be rewarded with an abundance of flowers. April - MayJuly - September20 minutes to plant the bulbsAgapanthus bulbs x2Large, square terracotta potCrocksMulti-purpose compostCover the bottom

narcissi bulbs when planting up. SeptemberOctober - March30 minutesSkimmia IvyHeucheraEuonymusLarge potMulti-purpose compostCrocksPosition the container where you need winter interest, and place a layer of crocks at the bottom, then three-quarters fill

buy them. All you need do is add water to set them off, which start with emerging green shoots of leaves and flower stalks, with pure white roots anchoring the bulbs down into the gravel. These are hardy bulbs, so they don’t need a warm room to get

, 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

cuttings from dogwoodsPick off faded flowers from winter-flowering pansies to prevent them setting seed

Plant winter salads in guttering or growing bagsCheck heaters are working efficientlyClean staging and wash capillary matting to use next summerLine greenhouses with bubble polythene for insulationBring pots of tender bulbs, like agapanthus

Plant colourful, evergreen Phormium 'Cream Delight' in a patio pot to brighten winter displaysTake care not to walk over borders or on lawns where spring bulbs and flowers will be emergingOrder young plants from mail-order companies

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

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