As I write this article the temperature has only just started to drop after a really good summer and the mildest autumn on record! I personally hope that we get a good cold winter as it kills off lots of nasty bugs and I enjoy sitting by the log burner with the shutters across.

However, there is still time to do some planting before the coldest weather of the season arrives in January/February. So, if it is suitable and not too waterlogged, container grown deciduous trees and shrubs can still be planted. If you want to add interest to your garden in winter how about adding a winter flowering shrub such as Mahonia, Daphne bholua, Hamamelis (witch hazel) or Sarcococca (Christmas box). These provide fragrance and colour as well as being an important food source for the birds in winter.

It is traditional to plant shallots on the shortest day of the year. Shallot bulbs are planted so that just the little tip is visible above the soil at a distance of 15cm in rows 20cm apart.

Everyone appreciates homemade gifts
A good Christmas tree is the Fraser Fir tree (Abies Fraser). Apparently, it not only doesn’t drop its needles, but it also has that lovely Christmas tree smell, which is something that I think is so important in a real tree. Cut a piece off the trunk and stick in a bucket of water for a few hours before erecting it (think of it like a vase of cut flowers). Keep it in a stand with a water reservoir and don’t site it by a radiator – it will look glorious all Christmas.

Presents for a gardening enthusiast could be anything from twine to secateurs – I use Felco’s, but there are many makes to choose from. Plant labels and waterproof markers are also always welcomed. For a special gift a pair of standard trained Holly trees in matching pots will be very gratefully received. You could always plant a nice pot up with a selection of Cyclamen, ivy, and pansies, layered underneath with some bulbs as a homemade gift which everyone will appreciate.

I sometimes make a very rustic homemade wreath using a wire coat-hanger bent to a heart shape and twined with ivy and some clematis Montana stems or some hydrangea flowers. This can be pinned to the front door or, if it looks too ‘rustic’, it can look good hanging in the garden somewhere.