Best of the bunch - Tulip

There are so many of these late spring stars available, ranging from dwarf and species tulips ideal for pots and rockeries, to tall, sturdy varieties for beds and borders, whether in classic red or multi-coloured, frilly and frothy.

Among my favourites is Tulipa 'Queen of Night', whose tall, strong stems carry silky, purple-black flowers. They look fantastic in a pot or mixed with 'Maureen' or 'Cheers', against acid green foliage plants in beds and borders.

For frilly varieties, you'll need a parrot tulip such as T. 'Flaming Parrot', which is among the showiest, with golden yellow petals streaked with scarlet, but if you want a touch of the exotic, try T. 'Deirdre', with its elegant, lily-like green and white blooms.

Tulips should be planted in late October or November with the base of the bulbs at four times their depth below the surface, adding grit to the soil to make it more free-draining. Choose a spot in full sun and avoid wet conditions.

Good enough to eat - Courgettes

You can still start courgettes up on windowsills in May, even when the weather is warming up, as they are susceptible to frost damage so you mustn't put them out too early.

They are fast-growing plants, so don't worry about sowing the seeds indoors as in most areas you'll have to wait until June to plant them out.

Sow one large seed on its side per 7cm pot and cover with compost, giving it a minimum temperature of 18C. Keep it well-watered and if you can't plant it out after a month, transfer it to a bigger pot.

Gradually harden the plants off by putting them outside on warm days and moving them under cover on cool nights.

Courgettes need plenty of space so you could plant one in a large patio tub which will give you tender courgettes throughout the summer as well as bright yellow flowers.

When planting out, dig a hole 30cm wide and deep and refill with a mixture of soil and compost, allowing an area of at least 1m in diameter for each plant.

Once flowering starts, give them a good soaking once a week and feed them at the same time with a dilute tomato feed. Pick fruits regularly to encourage further cropping.

Good varieties include 'Patriot', a standard long green variety, 'Gold Rush', which produces attractive yellow fruits and is perfect for patio pots, and 'Sunburst', a summer squash with small, tasty, golden, pie-shaped fruits.

Three ways to... Perk up a shady spot

1. Go for shade-loving plants with pale colours, which are transformed into a palette of subtle pastels in shade, such as busy lizzies or scented stocks, which are superb next to shady seating areas.

2. If you have a specimen tree, create a stunning shade-tolerant wildflower meadow underneath with ox-eye daisies, musk mallow and knapweed.

3. Use landscaping materials such as pale-coloured pebbles or gravel to introduce light into a dark corner. The lighter stones will emphasise darker-leaved plants such as fatsia.

What to do this week

Take basal cuttings of border plants such as lupins and delphiniums before they develop hollow stems, at which point it's too late for successful cuttings.

:: Sow fast-maturing and late-flowering annuals, herbs and vegetables including parsnips, early carrots and runner beans.

:: Thin out hardy annual, vegetable and other seedlings sown outdoors.

:: Pinch out the growing tips of bush fuchsias while the plants are still small and check all types of tender fuchsias for pests.

:: Make sure the greenhouse has adequate shading and ventilation to prevent overheating.

:: Train greenhouse cucumbers and tomatoes, removing male flowers from cucumbers.

:: Earth up early and maincrop potatoes, protecting foliage if frost is forecast.

:: Cut lawns with naturalised bulbs growing in them, keeping the mower blades high.

:: Stake dahlias early, particularly any that have been raised from cuttings which have not yet formed large tubers.

:: Continue to deadhead spring-glowering bulbs including daffodils, allowing the foliage to die down naturally.

:: If you haven't yet done so, mulch borders with organic matter.

:: If frost is forecast, cover vulnerable plants with layers of newspaper or horticultural fleece, weighting the material down with large stones or secure the material with wire or canes to stop it blowing away.