West. (regional wrap-up: GL'S CROSS COUNTRY CHECKLIST FOR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER).

Pick off the yellowing leaves near the base of brussels sprouts, purple sprouting broccoli and Russian kale. Left unattended, these plants could rot, particularly during this season's heavy rainfall. Be sure to add the old leaves to the compost pile. A few light frosts actually improve the flavour of such vegetables as brussels sprouts, rutabagas and leeks by increasing their sugar content.

Dig some manure into the vacant areas of your vegetable patch. You can even use fresh manure at this time, as the harmful salts will be leached out by rain over the next three months.

Add winter colour with blooms and bark. The early- and long-blooming Viburnum farreri has tight clusters of pale pink, highly scented blossoms that are lovely in indoor arrangements. If you have an older established shrub, don't be afraid to cut branches down close to the base--this will encourage strong new branches to sprout come spring. A terrific plant for dry shade, Helleborus foetidus starts unfolding its apple-green flower buds in early December and has blooms by the end of the month. Finally, look for paperbark maple (Acer griseum) with its gorgeous cinnamon-coloured peeling bark that positively glows when viewed against the low winter sun.

Bring tender container plants into an unheated garage or shed during the first week of November. I have always advocated keeping the car outside and tender plants such as Tibouchina, Canna and Plumbago in the garage for three months or so. I over-winter plants such as Agapanthus, Salvia patens and Dahlia 'Bishop of Llandaff' in their pots under a folding cold frame on my north-facing deck. (S. ...