Much like many of us, plants like companions. Marigolds, lavender, geraniums, sunflowers, salvia, borage, verbena, sunflowers, cornflowers, zinnias, bee balm, echinacea, coreopsis and hollyhocks make great companion plants. Brightly coloured flowers also attract birds, bees and butterflies. They’re wonderful pollinators and companions. Plant to encourage birds, bees and butterflies into your garden.

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.