Now is a good time to trim overgrown deciduous hedges like hornbeam and beech. While the plants are dormant you can reduce them to a manageable size. On old established hedges you might need to use loppers or a pruning saw on larger branches.

Those of you that are keen on having a few scented flowers in your house, try cutting some shoots from winter flowering shrubs like Viburnum x bodnantense or winter jasmine. Place the shoots in water and in a cool place. The flowers and scent will make a welcome addition to your festive decorations.

Ornamental vines can be pruned back now, to keep them contained. Vines can produce over 3m of growth in a season, so it is advisable to prune them back to prevent them getting into a mess. Thin out overcrowded shoots and then prune side shoots to a few buds from the main stems to maintain a framework.