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

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

Planting schemes should never stand still, so let’s reassess, reshape and reinvigorate

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

Pippa Greenwood One of the top experts on pests and diseases, Pippa gardens using organic methods. Matt Biggs Matt trained at Kew and has been gardening professionally for more than 30 years. Kirsty W

Snip now and your flowers will thank you later as a small trim can work wonders, says Joe Swift