LANDSCAPING : Perigee today — the moon is at its closest point to Earth, amplifying its pull on soil moisture. A flower day calls for attention to ornamental plants. Check your hellebores for any blackened or damaged leaves and remove them cleanly at the base with sharp secateurs — this opens up the crown and lets the emerging buds breathe / Winter jasmine in full flower deserves a tidy: once the last blooms fade on a stem, tie in any loose shoots to their support to keep growth directed and prevent wind damage / Snowdrops pushing through deserve a clear path: weed gently around their base by hand, taking care not to disturb the bulbs below / Camellia buds are swelling now — check that any winter fleece is still firmly anchored, especially on north-facing walls where frost pockets linger.
ORCHARD : A good moment to step back and assess your fruit trees with fresh eyes. Walk the rows of apple, pear, and quince trees and note any crossing branches, dead wood, or signs of lichen build-up on the bark — jot it all down in your garden journal so you’re ready to act when the right pruning window arrives / Currant bushes and blackcurrant plants benefit from a light mulch of well-rotted compost applied now around the base, keeping a clear collar around the stems to deter rot / Grapevine wires and posts are worth inspecting today: tighten any slack wires and replace wobbly stakes before the sap stirs and growth begins in earnest.