A gardening pro has advised against trimming certain plants right now.

A relaxed approach to gardening can be as good for your back yard as it is for your own back – for instance, experts advise against pruning ivy in autumn as its late-blooming flowers provide a much-needed food source for birds and bugs in winter.

In the same vein, leaving fallen leaves in a heap rather than raking them can provide a welcome habitat for beleaguered beasties.

The relaxed advice ought to be welcome – but if you’re obsessive about your oxalis or a petunia perfectionist, it can be harder to let nature do it’s thing than you’d think.

As the first months of 2025 roll in, garden designer........

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