The summer's gone and the winter's coming. Now's the time to prepare your garden for the tough times ahead, writes GINA PARKINSON.

NOVEMBER is a good time to tidy up the garden for winter as well as plant hardy perennials and hardy deciduous shrubs, climbers, bushes and trees. Bare rooted plants ordered from nurseries at the end of the summer will arrive this month and should be planted out straight away to stop the roots drying out.

If the soil is frozen or unworkably wet, heel them into the ground in a sunny spot until the conditions are more favourable.

Soak the roots in a bucket of tepid water before planting out or heeling in to prevent any possibility of them drying out and water well once planted.

Trees and shrubs in particular need to be watered regularly for the first 12 months after planting especially in dry weather. We have had very little rain since the beginning of the year and most people are still having to water containers despite the arrival of November.

Winter usually brings strong winds so it is a good idea to check that vulnerable plants and climbers are firmly attached to their supports.

Spring pruned shrubs such as buddleia can be cut back by one third with further harder pruning done next February or March.

Long stems of summer flowering hardy jasmine that protrude from their support can be cut back to tidy them up but leave those on winter flowering jasmine as they will carry the bright yellow blooms.

If growth on this latter plant has got out of hand take out a few of the oldest stems but leave any other pruning until after flowering.

Lilies can be planted this month even though they are often put out in spring when the soil begins to warm up.

Although long lived once established in the garden they are fussy about their soil, which needs to be well drained to stop the bulbs rotting in winter wet but also moisture retentive to sustain the rapid growth that begins in spring.

Improve soil before planting by incorporating coarse grit and bulky organic material such as leaf mould or composted bark. (There is a good article on Lilies in this months Gardening Which? To subscribe phone 0800 252100).

Updated: 16:29 Friday, October 31, 2003