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when I see it. Its bark is decorated with a thick crust of lichen, and lots of birds, especially thrushes, eat its fruit. It’s beautiful. Not only would my crab apple provide fruit for birds in winter, but its spring flowers would attract bees

entrance hole can make a fantastic substitute for many species. And birds won’t just breed in it – a well-placed box can also provide winter refuge for small species such as wrens. More than 60 species are known to use nest boxes, including blue tits, great

off in summer.
Chives, which refuse to grow in my shady garden; I miss them in potato salads.
Borlotti beans, for drying and storing in jars, then adding to winter stews. Butternut squash and several varieties of pumpkin, for hearty autumn soups

compost in the bin to feed all the hungry plants. And wait for that horrible business of 'winter' to be over with.PSTo grow pumpkins you need a sheltered, sunny position and rich, moisture-retentive soil. Sow two seeds 2.5cm deep in a 5cm pot in late

through the winter go for a late variety such as 'Winston', 'Elestar' or 'Jonagold'. Alternatively, opt for local, heritage varieties, which were either cultivated or discovered in your area.You should also consider rootstock, which determines how large

winter's worth of scraps. It's too moist to sieve and too chunky to spread around the garden. But it will be transformed into something nicer soon as it's full of worms (if Sid the blackbird, who's doing a good job of spreading the compost around

frogs poking their heads out two months later, when watering my tomatoes.In autumn, determined that the frogs and insects would have a safe place to spend the winter, I left the grow bag in place, cutting down the tomato haulms and placing them and other

while for the ladybirds to arrive to the scene, but they nearly always come eventually. It helps not to be too tidy in autumn - ladybirds and other insects hibernate among dead foliage and leaf litter, so if you provide such shelter for them over winter

are continually on the move. I hope the BTO is able to keep an eye of all five of them over winter and track their return journeys to the UK in spring.In the meantime, we gardeners can take a few steps to ensure this autumn's hibernating butterflies, moths

, hedgehogs are trying to fatten themselves up for hibernation. Those born in late-summer may have difficulty reaching the weight needed to get through winter, so if you share your garden with them, consider feeding them to help them on their way. Instead