Here are a few things you can be getting on with, weather permitting, this winter.

Clematis need attention and the easiest to deal with are the group threes, late-flowering ones like viticellas – clematis viticella Polish Spirit; the texensis types – clematis texensis Duchess of Albany; species types, like orientalis and tangutica, and all herbaceous ones, eg, clematis integrifolia.

These flower on new wood grown from spring into summer, so cut them right back to about 30-60cm, just above a pair of leaf buds.

Group twos are the large hybrids, some of them doubles, while others have flowers the size of dinner plates.

They flower from late May to the end of summer, from buds produced on last year’s stems and often repeat with a smaller number of flowers from the growth this year.

Examples are favour-ites such as Nelly Moser, Burma Star, Guernsey Cream, Doctor Ruppel, Carnaby, HF Young, Mrs N Thompson, Warsaw Nike, Niobe, Duchess of Edinburgh and Josephine.

Do not go hacking at them, or you’ll lose the early flowers and maybe the later ones. Take out weak wood and cut the rest to the top pair of buds. Tie in growth made as the season progresses for later flower.

Group ones are the earliest to flower and include montanas, eg, Tetrarose, Broughton Star, Marjorie, Elizabeth and grandiflora; alpinas, eg, Pamela Jackman, Francis Rivis, Frankie, Burford White and Blue Dancer; macropetalas, such as Pauline, Markham’s Pink, Blue Bird, Jan Linmark and Lagoon. Leave these alone until they have flowered and then you can shear them and remove damaged growth.

The same applies to all evergreen clematis, such as armandii and cirrhosa. They can outgrow their space, but heavy pruning may finish them off, so spread it over a few seasons.

Opinion is divided on new clematis, but expert Raymond Evison says ones planted last year should be cut back hard in the first full spring, unless they have a vast number of strong stems from the base.

It may not flower very well straight after, but will be stronger and more vigorous in subsequent years. All clematis are thirsty and hungry and will repay regular feeding and watering in spring and summer.

The other climber that will need attention is wisteria. Cut them back to two or three buds from the stem’s base. Cut back any stringy long shoots to two or three buds. Tie bits that will help cover a wall or fence. Don’t overfeed, or there will be leaf growth at the expense of flowers.

Zena Robson