Provide colour in your garden or entertaining area with a few strategically placed pots of instant colour. Keep potted plants out of windy positions, as moisture will evaporate more quickly.

Gauras prefer a well-drained, moist, fertile soil in a sunny position. Once established,  they are very drought tolerant due to their long taproot.  

The smaller, lower growing varieties are suited to rockeries and as border plantings, while the taller ones do well as background specimens.  

These North American natives have been given the common name of whirling butterflies because their flowers flutter in the breeze like tiny butterflies flitting around the garden.

During February, keep an eye on the watering especially those plants developing their annual crop of fruit or flowers.

Camellias are developing their buds so will need to be kept moist. Mulch to retain soil moisture, but remember to wet the ground first and never apply it over dry soil.

Calla lilies often flower the first year but fail to flower thereafter. I find the trick is to keep them well watered during autumn, winter and spring, then during summer let the soil almost dry out.

A plant that will withstand dryness and shade, such as under trees, is Liriope. Named after the nymph Liriope this hardy plant forms clumps of broad foliage from which arise spikes of violet-blue flowers, in autumn, that look like grape hyacinths. A very useful edging or border plant.

Plant seedlings of silverbeet, rainbow chard, beetroot, spinach, swede, onions, leeks, cauliflower, lettuce, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Sow carrot and parsnip seeds in a well prepared, sunny bed that has good drainage. Plant more seeds every few weeks. Winter radishes are slow growing and seeds are planted in late summer or early autumn. They are much larger than other radishes. 

Flower seedlings to plant include poppies, salvia, snapdragon, statice, verbena, petunias, marigolds, Livingstone daisies, linaria, hollyhocks, impatiens, gazania, gerberas, zinnias, dianthus, carnation, cineraria, alyssum and Sweet William. 

Feed citrus now and again in late winter or early spring with a fertiliser specific to their requirements. Choose a cool day and water in well. Scale, aphids and leaf miner insects can be controlled with regular applications of PestOil.