In the garden: How to plant spuds ahead of March 17

It can be risky planting the spuds outside as we will still get some frosts which may damage emerging foliage in April and May.
A new month has arrived, and the end of February was particularly challenging for gardeners, with a lot of wet weather making the soil difficult to work with and easily damaged.

Woody material is slower to break down, but this can be accelerated by chopping up the branches and twigs, or putting them through a shredder before going on the compost heap.

Even in winter, visiting another garden can give some hope and inspiration.

I am not usually a fan of variegation, but this shrub gives some light in the garden during the dark winter months and caught my eye. It is best grown in full sun or partial shade on a free draining fertile soil, eventually reaching a height of 1.8 metres with a 1 metre spread.