Make more thin-rooted perennials such as Japanese anemones, phlox and hardy geraniums with this method of root cuttings. Lift a clump of your chosen plant with a garden fork, select the best roots and

Create beautifully scented, long-lasting indoor arrangements using winter greenery and flowers from your garden. Choose fragrant blooms such as viburnum, witch hazel, Christmas box and wintersweet, an

Plant skimmias in pots so you can position them in spots where you can best see their attractive berries now, their pretty flower buds at the end of winter and blossom in spring. Skimmias do best in p

THIS MONTH Simple steps to keep your plot looking good

Parsnips roots will have reached full size by now, so you can begin harvesting them whenever needed. To get them out in one piece, loosen the soil around the roots with a garden fork beforehand, and i

Ivy flowers have gone over and now berries are starting to form. Avoid cutting these back and allow them to develop as a food source for birds. Ivy berries ripen in late winter and are often not eaten