Flag Iris all grown as cuttings from one large overgrown host plant

January

• Check around the garden for ripe seeds to collect and dry
• Start sowing perennials on a windowsill
• Check out garden centre sales

February

• Keep sowing seeds
• Divide perennials to get more and better plants.
• Coppice Hazel twigs or other branches to use as supports. They look more natural than brown canes and are free.

March

• Plant out hardy perennials under cloches to save indoor space and heating costs
• Look for free brochures on Open Gardens to visit

April

• Buy bedding plants such as Fucshi, Verbena and Felicia. Take up to 10 cuttings from each plant. By June you will have a hanging basket full.
• Sow last years collected annual seeds.

May

• Take cuttings from your garden shrubs.
• Visit other gardens and parks

June

• Look out for bedding plant sales at your garden centre
• Swap plants locally
• Sow winter ornamental cabbages and pansies from cheap supermarket seed packets.

July

• Check for bargains at local fetes and plant sales.
• Attend your local shows and join horticultural societies for seeds and swaps.
• Pot up Strawberry plant runners to get more plants. When rooted sever from the host plant.

August

• Take more cuttings of plants you enjoyed in summer.
• Root cuttings of Lupins and Oriental poppies can increase your plant stock

• Collect seed from favourite plants in old envelopes.

September

• Protect bulbs, tubers and plants for next year. Dahlias, Begonias and geraniums can be saved in a frost free area.
• Pick wild blackberries if you missed the bilberries in August.
• Dry herbs to use through winter

October

• Look out for end of season sales and cheap shrubs from garden centres.
• Pot some Hyacinths to give as Christmas presents.

November

• It is a good time to plant Tulips yet many shops have got them at big discounts as they get the stock ready for Xmas.

December

• Ask Father Christmas to buy you the garden present you covet.
• Look for good value Gloxinia tubers