GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK

Gardening editor Paula Mcwaters shows how to get the best from your plot in February

Everything you need to know to get the most from your plot this month

I’m always excited to see the first snowdrops of the year and, as well as enjoying my own modest collection, I try to visit a few open gardens that feature these lovely harbingers of spring. This month, 95 are planning to open their gates for the National Garden Scheme Snowdrop Festival (prebooking is essential; see ngs.org.uk/snowdrops for details). It’s easy to fall for choice cultivars (see All Things White and Beautiful on page 110). I plant mine in fine mesh aquatic pots (11cm size, £1 each from Lincolnshire Pond Plants, lincspplants.co.uk) sunk into the borders, usually near the stems of spring-flowering shrubs. They go into a well-drained, 50:50 mix of alpine grit and John Innes loam and I push in a discreet black label to make sure I can identify each precious variety. Lifting and dividing is necessary every few years to avoid overcrowding, so this is a good way to ensure you can find every bulb. Follow Paula’s progress on Instagram @paulalifeandsoil.

Floriferous, semi-evergreen hellebore ‘Anna’s Red’, named after plantswoman Anna Pavord, has large flowers in a fabulous shade of rich crimson that contrast with its marbled leaves. Plant it in semi-shade with plenty of organic matter. £27.99 for a two-litre pot from crocus.co.uk.