Chicory
There are three types of chicory: red chicory, which is sometimes known as raddichio and is often seen in mixed salad packs in supermarkets; sugarloaf varieties, which resemble lettuces and forcing chicory – this isn’t grown in the normal way. It is deprived of light, or forced, in winter to make edible white growths called chicons.
Chicory will thrive in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. It can be grown in short rows on the vegetable patch or allotment, and is also ideal for raised beds and large pots.
If you can, prepare soil for spring sowing by digging in the winter, adding plenty of well-rotted manure. Remove weeds, any very large stones and rake to leave a level finish. A week before sowing sprinkle a general purpose fertiliser (of approximately 30g per square metre) over the area and rake into the surface.
Sow seeds in July or August, for plants ready to be picked from October to December. To sow in rows, stretch a length of string between two canes to make a straight line and make a shallow trench, about 1cm deep, with a garden cane. Sow seeds thinly, then cover, water and label.
Alternatively, fill a large 45cm (18in) diameter pot with compost, level and tap to settle – aim to leave a 2cm (1in) gap between the surface of the compost and the rim of the pot. Sow seeds thinly across the surface and cover with a 1cm (0.5in) layer of vermiculite. Water and stand in a cold frame, or in a slightly shaded space in the garden.

Plant sweetcorn in the spring and by late summer you’ll be picking lots of fresh cobs, which are far tastier and more succulent than any you can buy in the shop.
Sweetcorn is wind pollinated and best planted in large blocks, where the male flowers at the top of the plant have more opportunity to shed their pollen on the female tassels (where the cobs will form) below. Each plant will produce one or two cobs, so work
Sweetcorn likes free-draining, moisture retentive soil. If you can, prepare the bed the previous autumn before planting, adding plenty of well-rotted manure to the soil. Don’t worry if you never had time, beds can still be made in the spring. First remove weeds and dig over the site with a spade, removing any particularly large stones. Level roughly and then work over the area with a rake to leave a fine finish. out how many cobs you are likely to need (you can freeze them) and provide enough space to achieve this.
Ready-grown plants will establish quickly and provide cobs earlier than sowing seed directly into the soil. In April, fill a 7.5cm pot with compost, make a 2.5cm deep hole in the top with dibber (a pencil will do if you don’t have one) and drop two seeds in. Cover, water and put on a windowsill to germinate. When seedlings are about 2cm tall discard the weakest one and put plants in a shady place outdoors to toughen up before planting out.

The garden in winter
Creating colour in the garden at this time of year has the reputation of being difficult and even pointless as many people argue they're not out in their gardens when it's wet and cold; but what about those beautiful days when the sun is low in the sky and catches the glorious red stems of a cornus?
A good evergreen foil should be the foundation of your garden all year round and it's particularly important through the winter months. It's likely to be the only permanent fixture and will give you a solid background to work with, setting off the rest of your planting scheme.
There are a number of evergreens to suit every garden. If it's a formal style you're after, crisp, clipped yew, box and bay are the right choice. It doesn't have to be wall-to-wall green, deciduous shrubs add value and a mixed border will give a more relaxed feel with dark, bare stems.
Taxus baccata yew
Laurus nobilis sweet bay
Buxus sempervirens box
Camellia japonica camellia

Berries add a burst of colour to the garden as well as providing food for wildlife. These valuable winter jewels come in a surprising range of colours, red being the most obvious but shades of orange, yellow, pink, white and even vibrant purple can be just as spectacular and a talking point.