The constant gardener

Garden diary

• When the weather is vile and the nights long, you know it’s time to plan for better days by snuggling down with a pile of gardening books and plant and seed catalogues, and the internet, where many small and interesting nurseries can be found.

• When there’s not much in the way of flowers outdoors, bring inside a pansy plant, or a primrose, polyanthus, or that sweet diminutive daisy, . All are usually available as single plants and make excellent and refreshing cut flower