- There are few plants as colourful and vibrant as sunflowers, and I am particularly fond of dwarf varieties such as ‘Music Box’, ‘Pacino’ and ‘Teddy Bear’, which grow to only 2ft high. They are easy to raise from seed and can be sown now. Fill some 3in pots with moist seed compost, bury a single seed ½in deep in the centre of each one and leave to germinate in a greenhouse or on a warm kitchen windowsill. In early May, harden off the young plants for a week – leaving them outside in the day and bringing them back under cover at night – Then plant them in large containers and place in a sheltered, sunny spot, watering well in dry weather. The blooms will appear from June onwards and can be used as cut flowers.

- The winter jasmine ( Jasminum nudiflorum) is a tough, reliable, medium-sized shrub that produces sprays of bright yellow flowers throughout the winter and early spring. It is especially useful for growing at the base of a north-facing wall. Once a plant has established itself, the spent stems should be pruned as soon as the flowering display is over: cut them back to healthy buds or nonflowered sideshoots. If the plant is becoming unruly and overgrown, some of the oldest stems can also be removed to ground level.

- Taller-growing herbaceous perennials such as delphiniums and heleniums are starting to burst into life now. They will need a means of support to prevent the stems from being blown over in windy weather. For the best results, install the supports while the plants are fairly small. Use prunings, a combination of canes and string or plastic-coated wire supports.

- On warm, sunny days, the temperature in the greenhouse (and conservatory) can quickly rise, to the detriment of both seedlings and young plants growing inside. For this reason, the ventilators should be opened during the day, then closed again at night. Alternatively, you can install an automatic greenhouse ventilator, which will do the job for you.

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- Hypericum calycinum (rose of Sharon) is a low, spreading plant that is often used to provide long-lasting splashes of colour on difficult sites such as dry, sunny banks. It has masses of buttercup-yellow flowers from June to September and grows rapidly, which helps to suppress weeds. To encourage healthy and vigorous new growth, the stems should be cut down to just above ground level now.

- It is difficult to stop my crocus flowers being damaged by small birds, especially sparrows, and they often leave the display in ruins. I push small, sturdy twigs into the ground around the clumps of crocuses to act as a physical barrier to these birds. You can also surround the area with bird-scaring tape (available at www.greengardener.co.uk), which should be stretched between short canes. This will vibrate and hum in the slightest breeze, deterring birds. It’s not pretty, but it should do the job.

Your questions answered

What are the best plants for encouraging bees into my organic garden?

T Hoyle, Newark

Candytuft, cotoneasters, forget-me-nots, flowering currant, hawthorn, honeysuckle, nasturtiums and wallflowers will all encourage bees into the garden to help with pollination. For the best results, grow as wide a range as possible. Herbs can also be used to great effect, so include borage, chives, hyssop, mints, rosemary and thyme in your schemes.

Can you suggest a good vegetable to grow in a dry, sunny border?

S Lawson, by e-mail

One of the best vegetables to raise in these conditions is New Zealand spinach. The seeds should be sown under glass, in modular trays, in mid-spring. To ensure that the seeds germinate, always soak them overnight in tepid water before planting. At the end of April or in early May, plant the seedlings outside (18in apart). Alternatively, sow outdoors in shallow drills at the end of May. This plant has a low, sprawling habit, so pinch out the shoot tips (these are edible) to encourage compact, bushy growth. Harvest the leaves throughout the summer. The seeds are available from Simpsons Seeds (01985 845004, www. simpsonsseeds.co.uk).

Neil Wormald is a qualified horticulturalist. Send your questions to Garden Expert, Home, The Sunday Times, 1 Pennington Street, London E98 1ST, or e-mail garden.expert@sunday-times.co.uk

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