A monthly guide to help bees this November

Delicious, versatile and nutritious, and for a slight twist try growing garlic chives. This perennial herb should last for years. Chives grow into small clumps, and can be harvested regularly all year round, and taste great in a wide range of situations, and are especially good in salads.

Caring for a rose needn't be difficult. But it's a lot easier if you set yourself up for success! A rose that is planted in the right spot and is well cared for is far less likely to have problems than a rose in the wrong spot or that hasn't been cared for correctly. And ultimately, getting things right at the start means less work and will make everything much easier.

Whether you just find them pleasing to look at, or you want a bit more privacy from those nosey neighbours, hedges can be a great addition to your garden.

And unlike many dubious investment portfolios, funds invested into hedges are rarely squandered. In fact, provided you take care of them you'll find that they steadily grow without too much intervention, and they'll even benefit when you start to trim a bit of the edges.

While you may think Italian, the name is actually Greek (meaning kingly or royal). Though basil is actually thought to originate from India. But who knows…and it tastes nice regardless!

As ever the year races on, with summer ending so quickly that I was left wondering if it ever came at all. But on the brightside it is once again the perfect time to sort your lawn out. And while you also have another window for lawn sowing in spring, I'd definitely recommend getting started resowing or patching your lawn now, otherwise you'll blink and the year will have moved on. 

Growing from seed is as economical and easy way to grow plants. Whether you're growing flowers or veggies, growing from seed allows you to choose from a much wider range of interesting and unusual plants, while allowing you to enjoy watching and nurturing your plants from the get go.

Moist, delicious and easy to cook, this gorgeous beetroot cake is suitable for all kinds of occasions. It contains barely any flour, and can easily be made gluten free by using a gluten-free flour to dust the sides of your cake tin.

Pruning can sometimes be a daunting task, but if you get the shape right in the first few years you'll find it a fairly easy process. Fruit trees such as apples, pears, plums and peaches can be pruned both in summer and winter. Pruning in summer can make it easier to keep a tree small, but if you're planting a new tree in winter it's worth pruning into shape on the first dry, sunny day.

The backbone of any herb garden, parsley is easy to grow, stores well, is incredibly versatile and tastes utterly delicious, especially when used right.