Climbing roses can go a bit crazy if left to their own devices, so pruning them now will ensure they have a good framework to show off their glorious summer display to its best.

As with all pruning, we need to address the ‘three ds’. Dead, damaged and diseased stems need to be removed, cutting them flush to the main stem from which they came.

Also any branches that are crossing should be removed, choosing to keep younger stronger branches over the older less productive canes.

It is easier to start at the bottom and work up, shortening each of the shoots to between two and five buds.

Take your time, step back and assess the rose regularly to avoid getting carried away, which is easily done!

As climbing roses don’t have any tendrils to help them cling to their support, you will need to give them a helping hand by tying them on to their support or wall with soft ties.

Try to keep the branches horizontal, as this will aid flowering. This is because the uppermost bud on a branch secretes hormones to repress the growth of those below.

Pots in a pot?

If you have a supply of home grown potatoes at hand it means you’ve always got a meal to put on the table without going shopping.

Admittedly potatoes can take up a fair amount of ground space, but you can save that space for a more precious crop by growing potatoes in a container.

If you are only going to grow one type of potato try a new potato, ‘international kidney’. Now that’s worth having, freshly cooked, dripping in a butter with a pinch of mint. Yes please!

A container provides a warmer environment for your spuds, which will speed up their growth and they are less likely to be eaten by slugs if they are not in the ground.

Any large container you can find will do, fill the base to 15-17cm with compost. A 40-litre container for example will take three tubers, then cover with compost.

Lots of regular watering will help them to make those green shoots appear. As they do, cover them up by adding another layer of compost, earthing up, stops the light getting to the spuds and turning them green.

You can take a couple of weeks off the normal harvesting time in a container so first earlies can be harvested at around 12 weeks instead of 14 weeks and second earlies around 14 weeks, instead of 16.