Dig it: gardens are great for growing muscle WITH

Do you think I can grow a tetrapanax in my garden? – L. Clark, Dunblane.

the 12th day of Christmas behind us, it’s time to donate what’s left of the fruit cake and mince pies to our resident population of birds.

I’ve already started to work off the Christmas calories by scrubbing the paths and patio, cleaning moss off the garden walls, and clearing away what’s left of last year’s foliage to add to the compost heap.

It’s the sort of work that keeps you warm but I never venture far without an insulated mug of coffee to help ward off the cold and it’s nice to stop for a few minutes just to look around at what’s going on.

It has been mild so far this winter so all across the garden the tips of bulbs are showing through the soil and the azaleas, camellias and magnolias are already covered in the buds that will turn into this year’s flowers.

Just not yet. It’s not just temperature that governs the appearance of many spring flowers but the length of daylight hours and for all but the hardiest of plants there is just not enough light now to stimulate further growth.

Winter-flowering jasmine is one of the exceptions and along with those other staples, mahonia and forsythia, its one of those cold season plants that add a splash of bright yellow to our gardens.

I suspect yellow is the most common colour for winter flowers as it acts as a beacon for insects that forage for pollen during the winter months. Paler or deeper colours would fade into the background on gloomy days.

My favourite acid yellow shrub is witch hazel, not just for its colour but for its spicy scent and for the way the flowers look like short lengths of knitting wool that have been glued onto the branches.

It’s an accommodating If you plan on adding snowdrops or bluebells to your garden, make sure that you buy them from a reputable source. There have been cases of woodlands being stripped of bulbs for the garden trade. Buy locally, either from good nurseries and garden centres or from large estates that lift and divide congested clumps. shrub requiring little pruning and happy to grow in a large container, so long as the compost doesn’t dry out.

It likes a sunny spot, but it’s best to give it some protection to avoid the flowers being scorched by wind or frost.

A south-facing wall or sheltered corner will also intensify the perfume, which is one of the main reasons for growing it.

Down at ground level the aconites will soon be joined by snowdrops and I’ll get to see how successful my efforts to spread these around the garden have been.

Last year I dug up and replanted many clumps in the hope of speeding up the process, but I suspect that it will be some years yet before I have the sort of smooth, white carpet of flowers that all snowdrop lovers dream about.

Meanwhile on my to-do list for January is to start digging planting holes down one side of the drive.

This is to be my winter border, but the ground here is laced with roots from nearby trees.

Establishing shrubs will be hard work but I can’t think of a better way to get rid of festive flab and replace it with some much-needed muscle.

The Chinese rice paper plant makes a very handsome shrub or small tree and while it is perfectly hardy in many gardens, it may find conditions in central Scotland a little on the cold side and could die down during harsh winters. However, it will reappear in spring.Keep watering evergreens in containers throughout the winter months as these plants will lose moisture through their leaves or needles.Q What’s the best time to remove the suckers on a stag’s horn sumach? – Tom Archer, Livingston.A Cut off the suckers during the winter, severing them as close to the plant as possible.Clean out bird boxes in preparation for the nesting season.Q Why are there still leaves on my oriental poppies? I thought they would have died down by now. – Sheila McLennan, by email.A During mild winters oriental poppies can hold on to their leaves. If these start to look tatty just cut them off and new foliage will appear.Check dahlia tubers in storage and discard any that are showing signs of rot.Q How do I remove euphorbia seedlings that have appeared around a Japanese maple that is growing in a large container? – Mr G. Davidson, East Kilbride. A You may have to ease the tree out of its container in order to remove the seedlings without damaging them. Do this by gently turning the container on to its side and sliding it off the rootball.Group together small cacti in a pot to make an attractive indoor display.Q Why have the leaves of my clivia turned yellow? – Kate Woodward, by email.A I suspect that you are giving it too much water. During the winter it is best to keep it a little on the dry side, allowing the surface of the compost to dry out between watering.Prune wisteria now, cutting back shoots to two buds from the old wood.

QA