Try this If you’re sick of the same old offerings of seed catalogues, join the Heritage Seed Library instead. Members pick six packets of rare heritage veg, from ‘St George’ cauliflower to broad bean ‘Beryl’. The HSL is run by the charity Garden Organic and its annual seed list has just come out, so it’s a great time to buy membership for yourself or a gardening-mad friend.
Clean this You may feel virtuous filling up the bird feeder this winter, but when was the last time you gave it a clean? Garden birds are susceptible to diseases such as trichomonosis, spread by poor hygiene around bird tables and baths, so wash yours in hot, soapy water or use Ark‑Klens disinfectant.
Plant this The silk-tassel bush, Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’, makes a fine display from this month right through to March, its long, silvery catkins falling from leathery, evergreen leaves. It needs a sheltered spot, but doesn’t mind shade or full sun. It gets big (expect at least 3m x 3m) but you can train it as a wall shrub, keeping it in bounds by pruning after flowering.
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