It’s time for sowing, planting alpine containers and living screens and tidying up old growth

What to plant, pot and prune this month, plus a few treats to buy and inspiration further afield

As the long nights shorten, Mounton House garden quietly emerges from winter with delicate sprinklings of white narcissi, Scilla siberica and crocuses through the lawns. Daphnes fill the air with frag

As winter eases and spring beckons, longer days bring the garden to life – and your growing year starts here…

There are some vegetables that thrive in the cold, but unless you aspire to self-sufficiency Tom Coward recommends caution when sowing very early in the year. “It’s a mistake, although we always do it

This is the month of horticultural happiness, and with everything looking fresh, green and lush, even the burgeoning weeds become – briefly – delightful additions to the garden. Selfheal sprouts gaily