Plant this
Japanese aralia (Fatsia japonica) is a bold architectural plant that does well in shadier spots. The white fluffy flowers that appear around now are unremarkable; it’s the evergreen, glossy fig leaf-like foliage that’s the star. F. japonica will reach 2m x 2m in time: if you like variegation and want something smaller, F. ‘Spider’s Web’ has leaves stippled with white and is slower to reach about 1.5m.
Split this
If your rhubarb has been throwing up flowers this summer, it’s time to divide the plant. Hoik the whole crown out of the ground and use a spade or pruning saw to split it into rooted sections with at least one growing tip each, discarding the oldest parts from the centre. Replant straight away, or give spares to friends.
Read this
Monty Don’s latest book, Down To Earth: Gardening Wisdom, is perfect winter reading for those days when the garden or allotment is sludgy and the weather raw. Don’s perfectly weighted prose will transport you straight to his garden, Longmeadow – whether he’s turning compost or pottering in the walled garden – and gives an insight into his philosophy of gardens as a healing space. Inspiring stuff.
