Plant this Sweet box (Sarcococca hookeriana) is just coming into flower: its small, spidery white and pink blooms aren’t up to much, but they have a knockout scent. They love a shady spot and evergreen foliage means you never have to look at bare soil. Choice cultivars include ‘Purple Stem’ and ‘Winter Gem’. Height and spread: 1.5m x 1.5m (eventually; they are slow growers). If you are tight for space, opt for the cultivar ‘Ghorepani’ at 1m x 1m.
Prune this If your blackcurrants have put on a poor show this year, check your bushes. Younger stems produce the most fruit, so judicious pruning of older shoots is vital to regenerate the plant. Older stems are darker and thicker, so remove a third of these as close to the base as possible, using secateurs or loppers, as well as any damaged shoots.
Visit this For fiery autumn foliage, Westonbirt arboretum in Gloucestershire is hard to beat. Everyone can enjoy the show: if you use a wheelchair or mobility scooter, there’s a shuttle service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends from the Welcome Building to the main facilities. The 13m-tall Stihl treetop walkway is fully accessible, too.
