Top ten gardening activities for December

1. Replace summer annuals with winter bloomers if the frost has burned them. Top performers are dianthus, flowering kale, flowering cabbage, pansies, snapdragons, violas, and stock. Add some rich compost and bone and blood meal to the soil to give the new plants a boost.

2. Plant bulbs: There is still plenty of time to plant those spring flowering bulbs. Look for narcissus, daffodils, tulips, anemones, ranunculus, jonquils, and muscari.

3. Cut back perennials: If the frost and freezing weather has damaged the tops of your flowering perennials, cut them back to just above ground level and mulch with compost and pine-bark mixed. This will conserve soil moisture and keep the roots healthy and warm.