Evergreen shrubs are best planted now, as winter changes into spring. Most will be sold in pots, and, as ever, require good pre-paration if they are to be expected to flourish on the same spot for years to come. Dig a hole comfortably big enough for the rootball. Break up the base of the hole to prevent it becoming a sump. Carefully backfill with the best of the soil, working it down the gap, and firm without ramming. Be sure neither to bury the thing nor leave it standing proud. Water, mulch with organic matter and look forward to a glorious future.
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Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expectThe four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
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Sign of the times: In the age of the selfie, what’s happening to the humble autograph?When Ringo Starr announced that he was no longer going to sign anything, he kickstarted a celebrity movement that coincided with the advent of the camera phone and selfie. Rob Crossan asks whether, in today’s world, the selfie holds more clout than an autograph?
