# Rake up leaves so they don’t kill your lawn grasses. Piling these on bare soil in the garden beds. Stops weeds growing and encourages worm activity and when rotted, they help boast your soils organic matter. Can also fill plastic rubbish bags, moisten, tie the top and leave behind the garden shed until spring. Turn bag every now and then.# Move cymbidiums orchids into more sun, but out of frosts and watch flowers unfold.

# New season roses are in garden centres in early June. Be in quick for those old favourites. Don’t prune roses until July.

# Plant and transplant lily bulbs. They do well in containers as they require good drainage. Plant Christmas Lilies now.

# Sow a green manure crop of lupins or mustard in  vegetable ground, that is spare over winter.

# Plant shallots, garlic, red and white onion plants for summer harvesting.

# Hurry and finish spring bulb planting. Don’t forget those tulips you put in the fridge to chill.

# Have a general tidy up and weed gardens before winter makes the soil wet and cold to work in.

# Plant strawberries on mounds with lots of compost.

# Enjoy reading gardening books on the wet cold days to inspire you when spring comes.