WHAT TO DO NOW

Lawns are unlikely to need much mowing for a while because grass growth has slowed down considerably. But trim the edges around flower beds or borders, before the grass gets long. Now that garden centres are open again, seek out the white-flowered shrub potentilla variety named ‘Abbottswood’ — it’s scintillating at the moment, covered with masses of purest white, without a hint of yellow, pink or blue. As woodland plants, ferns are perfectly adapted for growing in shade. They can be tucked in under trees and shrubs as shadetolerant ground cover that will help to prevent weeds in that area. An easy — and beautiful — green solution.