The gardening calendar brings a whole range of duties, so if you are to enjoy the fruits of your labour, stay disciplined and keep an eye on the weather

A gardener's year begins with a burst of optimism in March. This is when gardeners can sow seeds outdoors and enjoy a rich carpet of blooms from bulbs planted the previous autumn.

Shrubs such as camellia and rhododendrons should be coming into bloom, as will drifts of cyclamen coum and hybrid hellebores. Sprouting weeds will give a very clear indication that the soil is getting ready for cultivation, so keep them under control to leave space for the decorative and productive plants. Here's a guide to the next 12 months.

MARCH & APRIL

Be very careful at this time of year,' warns Charlie. Life is returning to the garden and many of you will end up in the gardening centre to find bedding plants and hanging baskets on sale.

They look great, but think about what will happen to them away from the protection of a hot house and the intensive care these displays receive. We can get frosts right up until May and they can kill plants.'

Of course, a lot depends on where you live in the UK. I'm down in the south,' says Charlie, and it is a lot warmer than in the north. You really don't want frost to ruin your work and your vision.'But that's no reason to steer clear of garden centres. In fact, they can take you on a voyage of discovery.

As a gardener, I'm amazed by the huge choice available in gardening centres and I'm always making new discoveries. There are plenty of plants being bred and the climate has brought in new twists.

There are more and more exotic varieties about as we realise we can scour the world for new plants that will take in British soil.

It is also amazing how many plants that we would have considered house plants a few years ago, can thrive outside these days.'

MAY

Flowering pot plants and bulbs are now producing a blaze of colour and your seedlings and cuttings are growing fast. Outdoor sowing and planting can begin in earnest, but watch out for night frosts - especially after clear, bright days.

By now, the gardener is into his or her busiest period - these are labour-intensive months and plans need to be carefully thought out.

You should have started mowing the lawn by now,' says Charlie. And you should be planting, sowing seeds and preparing your plants for the borders in your garden and for the hanging baskets.

Keep on top of the work so the garden stays in good order and you plant what you want at the right time so it flowers according to plan.'

JUNE

Early summer is here, thoughts turn to beer and Pimms, cricket and Wimbledon. Now is the time to relax a little and enjoy all your hard work of the last few months. Of course, this doesn't mean sitting back and doing nothing!

Remember, if you live in the North, you will still need to watch for night frosts especially following a bright day.

The warmth and new growth in the garden also means pests are on the march and wherever possible, organic means of control should be used.

Your work in the garden should be a bit more balanced now,' suggests Charlie. There's a distinct correlation between the labour and the growing. You will still be mowing the lawn, planting seedlings and deadheading, but there's a real shape to the garden.

There's no doubt that this period is the best in the year because it is a time when the garden can look as you envisaged it during the dark days of December.'

JULY & AUGUST

August is a month of late flowering shrubs and trees with lace-cap hydrangeas, summer ceanthus and hibiscus all adding plentiful colour to the garden. Most of this month's work involves watering and routine maintenance tasks like weeding, mowing and hoeing.

The gardener's battle is not against nature, but the threat nature can pose. Late frosts, dry summers or wet summers can all cause havoc. Protecting and preparing is the key to keeping the garden in shape. We have now moved from cold frosts to arid summer.

Gardeners can go on holidays,' jokes Charlie, but they need to ensure they have a maintenance system in place or better still, a water irrigation system of sorts.

Water companies and hose pipe bans can all add to problems though as some water companies don't like sprinkler systems, but the irrigation method - timed to work in the late afternoon or early evening - is less wasteful and a more effective way of watering.

This is when the plants can really benefit and water goes straight to the roots. If you water at the height of summer, most of the nourishment intended for the plants can just soak and evaporate.

Of course if you don't have an irrigation system you will need a kindly neighbour to come in and water for you. It is the bedding plants that are most at risk if not given regular attention.'

SEPTEMBER

This is a wonderful month that sees the gathering of the harvest and the splendour of rich autumn colours spreading over the landscape.

There is a distinct change of temperature in the mornings and northern parts of the country may have their first frosts.

The wheel is turning full circle; summer colours are fading fast and now is the time to start preparing for the cycle to begin all over again.

Start planting bulbs for spring,' advises Charlie. It is also the time for tidying up, pruning back and forking over flower beds and putting in compost. You will probably do a final grass cut and prepare for the garden to settle down.'

OCTOBER & NOVEMBER

We are now entering an unpredictable time of the year where severe frosts are not unheard of in cold regions, yet plants may still be growing in milder regions.

Keep your eye on the weather forecast and garden accordingly.

The time has come to start sweeping up leaves that fall from the trees. Fruit trees will start dropping their harvests and you can start to prune them.

This is the time when you might want to do some heavy cutting back,' says Charlie. You may even want to lop branches from the fruit trees.

Of course some plants thrive in the winter and you can get a second burst of colour. To me, the garden can look just as special and dramatic in winter.

I love the way the lowering sun can cut through the trees, especially birch trees, and you end up with this beautiful fluorescent light. If you can get colour and plants in the garden, then all the better because that encourages more wildlife.'

Like painting the Forth Bridge, the gardener's work is never done. Charlie reckons a garden made up of a split between herbaceous plants and mixed flowering shrubs requires between three to four hours a week of your time to keep it in tip-top order.

DECEMBER

The onset of the winter means fewer tasks in the garden although tidying up never really stops. This is an especially good time to see how soil can be improved in time for the next growing season.

There will still be some very favourable days that will allow outdoor work.

JANUARY

Even in the worst weather, there are plants to enjoy and jobs that need doing. Even though January is considered the coldest time of the year, it can be regarded as the most optimistic month in gardening terms.

With your garden design well under way, now is the time to start concentrating on the plants which will show your garden off throughout the year. Don't rush things because although some of the days are mild, the weather can still be icy and seeds sown too early will not germinate if your soil temperature is below 7¬ƒC (45¬ƒF).

There's not that much going on in January,' says Charlie. We're talking about the potting shed really. You can go out to the garden and get that tidied up but I don't think you should be too enthusiastic.

Sweep up any leaves and turn the soil. If there are borders you failed to tidy back in the autumn, now is the time to get them right. For the rest of the time, get the seed catalogue out and study it.'

FEBRUARY

As February arrives and the days start to stretch out a little longer, the workload starts to increase - but only slightly.

Spring time is beckoning but you still need to continue with the jobs you were doing in January. Clear any of those hardy weeds that are still around. If you have a vegetable patch you can start thinking about sowing seeds to get them growing in the potting shed,' she says.

But you still have to be aware of the cold so there is a limit to what you can do.

There are some signs of life - snowdrops and daffodils start to peep through, as we move towards a brand new cycle.'