For the best results, plant the dormant bulbs of the madonna lily, Lilium candidum, in August or early September. (Order them now from companies such as Avon Bulbs ; 01460 242177) Select a warm, sunny, sheltered spot with a welldrained soil and bury the bulbs so the tips are 1in-2in below the surface. Line the bottom of the planting holes with a shallow layer of horticultural sand and nestle the bulbs in to improve drainage and prevent waterlogging.

If you have a wall-trained peach, create a temporary barrier to keep hungry birds away from the ripening fruits. Secure a wooden batten horizontally to the wall so it sits just above the top of the tree - it should be slightly longer than the width of the tree – and attach a roll of fine-mesh netting to the batten. This can be pulled down over the branches. In the spring, you can replace the netting with horticultural fleece to shelter the flowers from frost.

Summer-fruiting raspberries should be pruned as soon as the last fruit has been picked. Use secateurs to cut back the spent canes to just above ground level. Tie the new and unfruited canes to the supports, about 6in apart; these will fruit next summer.

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