- The Tasmanian tree fern (Dicksonia antarctica) is a wonderful plant with an elegant head of leafy fronds and a dramatic, fibrous trunk. I have one growing in a container on my terrace, and it creates a great focal point throughout the summer. This plant is slightly tender and, as I live in a colder part of the country, it will be moved into the greenhouse as soon as a spell of freezing weather is forecast. If you have a border specimen, or a tree fern that is too big to be brought under cover, then it may need protecting, too. The trunk and growing point (the area at the top of each trunk) should be surrounded with straw, the material held in place with a frame of wire mesh. The old leaves are best left in situ and removed next spring, along with the straw, when the new buds start to unfold.

- There are several well-established apple trees in my garden, and this year they produced a bumper crop of fruit. I have already eaten most of the early-maturing apples, but the rest have been placed in store. It is important to check these fruit on a regular basis, as any that are showing signs of deterioration, such as bruising and softness, won’t keep for long – remove them straightaway and use in the kitchen, or scatter outside for the birds to eat. Damaged fruit left in store will succumb to rots and moulds, which may spread to infect healthy apples.

- If you’ve suffered from pest problems on the vegetable plot, it is worth roughly digging over bare patches of soil before the ground becomes wet and difficult to work. One of the advantages of doing this now is that it exposes underground slugs and their eggs to natural predators and the elements. Digging also unearths the grubs and pupae of other persistent soil pests, including carrot flies and cabbage root flies. While you are working the ground, watch out for rogue potato tubers (and carrot roots) and remove them, otherwise they can provide a winter home for soil pests and may resprout as weeds next year.

- I love lilies, and always plant clumps of new bulbs in my borders during November. To ensure they thrive, I grow them in a sheltered, sunny spot and a welldrained soil. Unfortunately, squirrels often come into my garden to dig up lily bulbs, especially in the winter. To prevent this, I bury small sheets of wire mesh a few inches below the soil surface, to protect the bulbs underneath. If you have a real problem with squirrels, lilies can be raised in containers and placed in a greenhouse over the winter. Alternatively, group the containers in a sheltered corner near the house and cover the tops with secure pieces of chicken wire. Remove them in the spring when new shoots start poking through the compost surface.

51 glorious garden websites

Times Online's gardening guru opens her address book to share her top pick of gardening websites

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