It’s a cold and blustery weekend yet I have the most unseasonal of flowers out including the first anemone in full bloom. That’s Cornwall!

This weekend is set to be a busy one, but I intend to start – and finish – the following jobs pick ‘n’ mix style, rather than as a list of chores.

1. Bulbs

If there’s a weather window, I want to plant the remaining tulip and narcissus bulbs I have. Yes, it’s pretty late, as the ones I planted last month are already six inches tall, but I can’t bear the guilt when I see the green shoots optimistically pushing on through from the bulbs in the shed. They need actual soil!

2. More bulbs

I’ve been reliably informed by an internet search engine that we should plant extra bulbs in containers to fill any gaps in spring borders. If I had borders, I would do that. Currently I have what can only be described - at best - as a “varied planting plan” dominated by great swathes of bramble and unruly everything else.

3. Lift and store dahlias 

I have tried this only once to date and it was a total fail. The lifting's easy, or would have been if I could have remembered where I’d planted the bulbs. It was, frankly, a pretty one-sided game of hide and seek which I, predictably enough, lost. Labels showing where you've planted your special bulbs and/or a garden planner are the way forward. 

When I did excavate five of the flukily found dahlia bulbs, I found a dry and dark corner of the garage and tucked them in with thoughts of spring.

I didn't know then that rainwater courses down the inside of the garage wall in heavy storms. I know that now but, sadly, it was the dahlia bulbs that paid the ultimate price.

4. Winter colour

Cyclamen give lovely winter colour, eye catching pops of colour outdoors and indoors. I rescued a couple from the ‘Oops’ section of a garden centre recently, planted them out and they’re going great guns. There's a serenity about cyclamen, their petals quietly strong despite this week's battering by wind and rain.

5. Feet up

When it’s blowing old boots like it currently is, it’s nice to retire to wherever your favourite place is - shed, garage, greenhouse, kitchen – and idly look through seed catalogues. There’s a whole new year of growing ahead of us and we can choose what we want to turn our hands to.

Have a great weekend.