JUSTINE’S TOP GROWING TIPS

■ There are lots of flowers you can grow from seed by planting directly into the soil, cutting out the need for a greenhouse. These include cosmos, nigella, larkspur, calendula and feverfew, although they will have to be sewn by the end of May.

■ Seeds can be ordered online and not just from big companies such as Thompson & Morgan (www. Thompson-Morgan.com) but smaller ones like my favourites Higgledy Garden (www.higgledygarden.com) or Grace Alexander Flowers (www.gracealexander flowers.co.uk)

■ A good way of keeping in touch with grandchildren during the lockdown is with a sunflowergrowing competition. It’s something you can do together but apart, by both planting the seeds on the same day and measuring them weekly to see who’s winning.

■ If you don’t have a garden, you can make windowboxes useful as well as pretty by growing herbs that produce pretty flowers. Borage in particular produces striking blue flowers that you can eat along with the leaves.

■ If you’ve got a shady spot of garden that’s difficult to grow anything in, try sowing foxgloves as they do really well in dry shade. You’ll need to be a bit more patient as they won’t flower this year, but should create a nice display next year.

■ Whatever plants you’re watering, it’s best to do it between early morning and midday. If you leave it until evening, you’re creating a convenient wet path for slugs to get to your seedlings. Don’t over-water either. It’s better to water most seedlings really well twice a week rather than a little each day.