I’ve included an excerpt from one of the Garden guides – “The gardening calendar” – link HERE

The gardening year – a month by month guide

Whatever the season there’s always something to do in the garden. Our gardening calendar will help you to keep on top of all those important jobs, from planting and pruning to mowing the lawn. Our month-by-month guide includes lots of hints and tips for following the rhythm of the seasons and making the most out of your garden all year round.

The key to bringing out the best in your garden is knowing what to do and when. Even in the depths of winter, with frost and snow covering the ground, you can start preparing for the approaching spring. From the moment the first snowdrops or daffodils emerge, your garden will be a hive of activity and there will be no shortage of jobs to keep you busy throughout the summer and into autumn.

Growing your own fruit and vegetables has become very popular recently. If you want hints and tips on which fruits and veg you can plant in your garden, and when you should plant them, read our How To Grow Fruit & Veg guide.

Use appropriate tools for the jobs. For example, cutting and pruning shears and saws are available in a wide variety of sizes, each one suited to different widths of stems, branches, etc. Remember to wear gardening gloves, particularly for heavy duty jobs such as tackling thorny bushes, and sawing through thicker branches.

It’s equally important to take time out to relax and enjoy your garden and all the hard work you’ve put into it!

Gardening jobs for January

The garden is largely dormant in the new year, so this is the ideal time to plan ahead, carry out some garden maintenance, tidy the shed, and make sure our feathered friends don’t go hungry.

Top 5 gardening tips for January

• Prune dormant shrubs and climbers such as roses and wisteria. Remove any dead or damaged stems and cut back other stems approximately 5mm above a bud. Make the cut at a 45 degree angle away from the bud so water doesn’t collect. Some shrubs such as wisteria can be cut back closer to the main trunk.
• Tidy up and remove any dead stems from your perennials and add the waste to a compost heap if you have one. Now is also a good time to take any root cuttings from your perennials.
• Brush any snow off trees and shrubs as soon as you can, to help prevent the branches splaying or breaking.
• Dig over any vacant plots that haven’t been dug over already. Apply mulch to your borders if you didn’t do so in autumn.
• Birds often struggle to find food throughout the winter. Help them out by providing seeds, nuts, fat balls and other foods, complemented by a regular supply of water.