From now until Spring plant bare-rooted trees and shrubs. This month is the traditional time for planting new roses indeed many reputable rose nurseries will not deliver stock until now.

Protect plants from winter rains. Specimens planted in very free draining soil, 80 % grit, are likely to survive with little damage. They are designed to withstand frost, and to be covered by snow but rot if their leaves are constantly drenched. Either bring into a cold frame or cold glass house or cover with a cloche.

Continue to rake leaves and thatch from the lawn, add this to the compost bin or leaf bin. A final mow will shred any leaves left after raking. Try to avoid walking on the grass if frosty.

Lift and divide rhubarb crowns. If you want early rhubarb start looking for forcing pots now before the prices rise in the Spring. Check out our planting guides on the Plants page.

We will continue to build bird boxes through the winter months. Any boxes in the garden should be cleaned. Garden birds will benefit from an increase in seed, nuts and fat balls. Provide a supply of food for squirrels to distract them from taking bird food and digging up freshly planted bulbs. Half coconut shells filled with fat and seeds provide interesting feeding stations for tits. Do not forget to place food on bird tables or the floor for increasingly rare birds like startlings.

Begin winter-pruning of deciduous trees and shrubs, including the renovation of hedges.

By the end of the month it is very unlikley that the lawn mower will be required for a few months. Throughly clean the machine and sharpen and oil the blades.

If, like me, you forgot to cover the pond with mesh or netting, use a children's fishing net to scoop leaves from the floor of the pond. Below 10 C fish become semi-dormant, if you do feed them now is the time to stop., there should be enough wildlife for them for the next few months.

There is still time to build houses for hedgehogs, frogs and toads. As always I leave it too late and rely on the decking, under the shed and piles of twigs to provide habitats. Next year I will move this task to September! There really is no substitute for ...

In order to provide for a succession of fruit, vegetables, herbs and cut flowers the winter months are the ideal time to order seed catalogs, dust off the plans or sketches of the plot, note the successes and failures of the past year, and plan for the rotation of crops. Many people consider November to be the start of the gardening year.