The Full Monty

Don't despair if your garden lost its magic during winter, says Monty. Start by planning where you want to sit and everything will work out

- Monty

You have a new garden. It is modest but no smaller than most. You had access to a garden during the lockdown months and, especially in that glorious spring two years ago, the garden was a godsend. You didn't so much get the bug as saw the possibilities. This was something that you could do, would bring pleasure and a palpable sense of wellbeing. Now you can make your own paradise exactly as you want it. But here you are, faced with a February plot, as you watch the garden dissolve beyond the rain hammering onto the windows, and it's almost entirely devoid of all the things that got you interested in gardening in the first place. So, take it from me - the most important horticultural job lining up for you this spring is to work out where you want to sit and eat outside.

In the end, there is no greater gardening pleasure than sharing a meal outside or the stolen moments from life's endless business sitting in the sun whilst drinking a cup of coffee. So, sorting out where you eat is the key to all garden design. But where you sit is directly connected to when you sit and the only certainty is that no one place will be right, or often even any good, for every time of day.