Gardens

See snowdrops on a tour of Beth Chatto’s garden, plus outside lighting and an illustrated guide to urban plants

CUT BACK GRASSES

A satisfying job, simply cut deciduous grasses left standing over winter to the base before new green shoots appear. CHIT POTATO TUBERS

If you’re planning on growing your own spuds, now is the time

to chit them. Place your seed potatoes on a tray with the eyes uppermost and keep in a cool, frost-free spot with moderate light. Once shoots are about 5cm long they are ready for planting out.

PRUNE LATEFLOWERING CLEMATIS Clematis that flower from summer

to late autumn, such as ‘Etoile Violette’ and ‘Jackmanii’, should be pruned now by cutting back each stem to a strong pair of buds

20-30cm from the ground.