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Shrubs are useful building blocks when you're planning a garden, providing structure and substance. Winter is an ideal time to assess your garden and see if there's an empty space that's just right for a new shrub

of yellow-green or red.If the symptoms were evident last summer, in winter get rid of the eggs by spraying plants with an enzyme wash, which will quickly dissolve them. In spring, spray plants with the systemic insecticide thiacloprid or pyrethrumn to kill

infestations, scrape off the scales by hand and dispose of them. For heavy infestations, prune out those branches that are badly affected. Spray with a plant oil wash in winter.Spray the young scales in mid-July and early September with a systemic insecticide

die down to tough yellow roots in autumn, over-wintering to grow up again the following spring.Tall-growing perennial plant which spreads below ground by rhizomes or across the surface by creeping stems or stolons to form dense clumps of stinging

Buy tulips now while they're fresh in garden centres, but hold off planting till next month Plant daffodils, hyacinths and crocus in potsLift and pot up tender perennials to protect over winterClear away faded summer bedding and annuals, composting

Cover soil with polythene sheets to keep it dry so that winter digging can be completedKeep your Christmas tree outside in a bucket of water until you're ready to bring it indoors to decorateWash cloches and cold framesOrder manure or mushroom

Winter prune wisteria Vigorous wisteria needs pruning twice a year if it is to flower well. Cut back all the long whippy growth that has been made during the summer and prune again in July to encourage the development of flowering spurs.Tidy up

Layer bulbs in a potIf you long for a splash of spring colour to bring you out of the winter gloom, you'll want a display that will go on for as long as possible. Plant layers of different varieties of bulbs in one pot and you can create

Insulate a greenhouse with bubble polytheneAs the cold weather draws in, you need to think about how you are going to protect your plants through the winter. If you have a greenhouse but don't want to install a costly heating system, lining

Joe Swift demonstrates how to prune and take hardwood cuttings from dogwoods.springCreative suggestions for dogwoodCreate a dogwood container displayCreate a winter container displayMake a christmas wreathBrowse dogwood varietiesAdd autumn colour