Not much gardening has been done over the last year or so, consequently there is a backlog of things to be done. The weather has been relatively kind recently which has given me a chance to look critically at the neglect. It’s difficult to know where to start when so much is in need of changing but I now have a few ideas which I hope will make the garden a better place for visitors next year.

There is an overgrown and badly treated willow dome which was planted perhaps twenty years ago. The training and control of it hasn’t been done well for quite a time, it has become almost impossible to bend the rods and to keep the rounded shape. The solution is drastic and appealing and that is to chainsaw the whole lot down to the ground, plant more rods and start again. My thinking is that it will be manageable for at least five years and it will look as good as it did in earlier days.

My next project is to overhaul some of the borders especially those where the verbena has become too dominant. One border really annoys me, there are lots of straggly plants and no cohesion. I will remove some asters as well as try to contain the Lysimachia clethroides. Some galega has seeded itself there (in fact it is popping up all over the garden) and needs to come out, not much else worth mentioning or keeping. Then lots of compost must be added to the sticky clay soil and new plants to be planted. It sounds so easy but I know it will take a lot of time.

This time of year, if it isn’t too wet or cold, is perfect for gardening. I can see more clearly the faults and successes. The soil is warm and there should be no need to water anything. ‘Putting the garden to bed’ is a phrase for people who want everything cut down and tidied up for maybe six months but what if the spring is late and the ground is cold and wet as it was this year? There are few things more pleasing than being outside working as often as the weather allows it.