However, in recent years, other plants have become more popular, particularly with the placing of plants in offices.

The peace lily has found a place in many indoors areas as it produces glossy green leaves and pure white, hooded flowers.

Plants grow to between 30cm-40cm high.

With the right conditions, peace lilies will flower throughout the year.

Flowers will form if the plant has been put into a position of quite low light, although more light will improve flowering.

The leaves on the plant will droop if it needs watering.

Pelleted fertilisers that have been developed for indoor plants may be used, although indoor plants grow quite slowly and have lower requirements for feeding.

The Zanzibar gem (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), is a more recent development in plants that are most suitable for growing indoors. It can be seen in many offices.

Its glossy, waxy, green leaves appear as a cross between palms and ferns. They are divided into a number of smaller leaflets.

New leaves first appear as upright spikes that gradually unfold to reveal the leaflets.

Zanzibar gem originates from Africa, where it grows in dry, shaded sites and is tolerant of periods of neglect. Its main requirements are being kept in a warmer position and not being over-watered.

Plants tolerate positions of low light, although, as with most other plants, a brightly lit indoor area will produce the better plant.

If it is required to grow the plant in an area of poorer light, it may be preferable to have two plants and interchange them between areas of better and poorer lighting.

Leaves can be kept clean by occasionally wiping them with a damp cloth. Care should be taken to wash hands well after handling a Zanzibar gem as parts of the plant are considered poisonous, particularly if ingested.

Leaves that have fallen from deciduous trees provide a good opportunity to start a compost bin, if this isn't already an integral part of the garden.

Layers of dry materials such as leaves, hay, straw or shredded newspaper can be alternated with vegetable, fruit scraps and animal manures, although a more rapid development of compost, because of increases in temperatures, will be achieved if the materials are mixed well. It may be necessary to add water to the mixture of it is too dry.

If the correct balance has been achieved there will be an immediate, rapid and noticeable increase in the temperature in the centre of the mixture.

Completely turning over the mixture very couple of weeks will also maintain the temperatures required for the formation of bacteria, leading to decomposition and the eventual formation of compost as well as allowing air penetration.

If the gardener is intending to include new rose plants in the garden, now is the ideal time to prepare the garden beds.

A position that is open and sunny, and sheltered from strong wind is ideal for good rose growth and flower production.

Roses that have been planted so that there is good air flow between each plant will help reduce diseases such as fungal-based black spot from infesting the plants.

Gardeners should consider this factor when deciding on the number of plants to include in the garden bed.

The area should be dug over well to a depth of about 20cm and organic material added to the soil so that it has time to rot and become incorporated into the planting medium.

The organic material can come from a variety of sources including crumbled cow manure, leaf mulch or well-rotted garden compost.

Lime should not be added at this time as it is likely to make the soil too acidic.

If the soil appears to have areas of clay and excess amounts of moisture are retained, then the addition of gypsum will help to overcome this problem. An amount of 2 kilogram of gypsum per square metre should be dug into the soil prior to the addition of the organic material.

After several weeks new rose plants can be placed into the prepared soil.

Modern breeding has resulted in a wide variety of citrus fruits being available, ranging in size from dwarf forms through to full-size trees.

Some of the more usual varieties of lemons are Lisbon, eureka, and Meyer.

Lisbon lemons have their heaviest crop in winter and are the best for cooler climates. It is a vigorous grower, with thorns on the stems.

The eureka lemon is thornless, and the fruit has few seeds. However, it is not as hardy in extremes of heat and cold.

Because it continues to bear for many months, it is a popular variety for the home garden. Fruit is produced in winter.

Meyer lemons has quite a thin skin with sweeter fruit. This is because it is considered by some to not be a true lemon, rather a cross between a lemon and an orange.

It crops for much of the year, but the main cropping time is in summer.

A newer variety is the lemonade tree, which is a hybrid lemon, producing very juicy fruit with a mild flavour.

Fruits are easily peeled.