What to do now: Flowers in February

• Tip: pruning dogwoods
  Several shrubs require hard pruning in late winter to encourage new shoots to develop from the base. Dogwoods are valued for their colourful bare winter stems, but these must be pruned back to their woody bases in February. Vigorous new shoots form in spring, carrying colourful foliage that can be enjoyed all summer. Willows can be pruned in this way, too.

Clear away old growth
Many hardy plants start back into growth once temperatures rise above 5C, which should be reached this month or next in many areas. Before grasses and herbaceous perennials begin producing new shoots, do make sure all their old growth has been completely cut away. Clear flower borders, cutting down perennials and composting all the debris, then mulch with composted bark or bags of peat-free compost.

Sow sweet peas now
If you're aiming for the earliest blooms, you'll have sown your sweet peas in pots last autumn and will now have strong plants developing, ready to plant out in April. Don't worry if you didn't, though, as sweet peas can still be sown - they'll be a little late, but you'll enjoy flowers this summer even so. Although sweet peas are hardy, the soil conditions are still too cold to sow directly into the ground until April. This month I'll be sowing seed into tall pots or Rootrainers. Once seedlings have developed three or four pairs of leaves, pinch out the growing tip to encourage side shoots to form.

Checklist

• Prune winter jasmine.
• Move shrubs growing in the wrong place.
• Divide congested perennials.
• Plant lily of the valley.
• Trim all foliage from epimediums.
• Plant lilies in pots.
• Prune mahonia, removing tall old stems to make room for new growth.
• Lift and divide snowdrops.
• Chop down pampas and miscanthus grasses.

Best buys for February