This week has seen the National Garden Scheme’s website updated with all the wonderful gardens you can visit in 2022. As always, the first to open will be the snowdrop gardens. Here in Sussex you will find seven plots opening their garden gates to display snowdrops, through late January and February. Five of those seven will require you to prebook your visit online, so why not take a look and pick your slot now?

The five are, 5 Whitemans Close in Cuckfield, Pembury House in Clayton, The Old Vicarage in Washington, Denmans Gardens in Fontwell and Bates Green in Arlington. The other two, Highdown Gardens in Goring and the Manor of Dean near Petworth can be visited and paid for on the day.

Log on to www.ngs.org.uk for all the details on each of the seven gardens and book your visit as slots go quickly.

READ MORE: Raid the garden for your Christmas decorations

It took me over a week, but all my Christmas decorations have now been put up. I was so pleased with the delivered Nordman fir I got in 2020, I ordered the same again this year. You may have seen a two-page feature on my Christmas decorations in the December issue of Sussex Life magazine. You can see all the images of this year and the national TV coverage I received last Christmas by logging on to www.geoffschristmas.co.uk.

If you too want to get in the festive spirit then maybe a visit to Borde Hill this week, to Jeremy’s Christmas Market. There will be a number of stalls with local products from delicious food and drink to unique crafts and gifts.

As Christmas approaches I’m sure many of us will be purchasing a poinsettia, more correctly named the euphorbia pulcherrima. The plant originates from Mexico where they can grow up to ten feet tall. The ones we buy in the UK have been specially bred to be compact and bushy. Choose your plant very carefully though. Lots of shops display them in draughty spots which they do not like, so your chances of keeping it alive are greatly reduced once home.

Poinsettias love indirect sunlight and mild temperatures. Four key things to consider when deciding where to feature your plant are as follows. Try to maintain room temperatures between 16C and 22C and keep it away from radiators, as well as cold windows and draughts.

Place the plant where it will get indirect sunlight during the daytime, allowing it to enjoy the light but not get sunburnt. Most importantly, avoid moving your poinsettia from room to room and experiencing differing temperatures too often.

Read more of Geoff’s garden at www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk