Winter may feel like it’s outstaying its welcome, but change is stirring in the garden. There are glimpses of spring in our re-awakening gardens. The first daffodils in bloom, fragrant flowering daphne, the cup-shaped flowers of the winter rose (hellebore), early flowering magnolia, tree buds swelling and more and more outbursts of birdsong.

Winter is a great time to prune – especially your roses Gardening is both an art and a science, and pruning is one of the best ways to express your creativity. If you’ve ever hesitated to pick up the secateurs, this month we’re starting with the perfect winter candidate: roses.