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It’s certainly going to be a while before the weather improves enough for us to start sitting out in the garden again - but it’s good to be prepared.

And remembering that spring’s on the horizon beyond these dark winter days is great for flagging spirits.

So, if you’re thinking of buying garden furniture this year, how should you go about it? And what’s the best way to store it and care for it once you’ve got it?

John Lewis to the rescue! This retailer publishes its very own audio guide in mp3 format to choosing the best selection for your garden - and you can listen to it here - covering storage, making the most of your budget and choosing between wood and metal furniture.

Once you’ve got it, how can you take care of it to ensure you get the very best out of it and that it stays looking lovely?

Have a look at the John Lewis guide to caring for garden furniture here.

You can view the full John Lewis garden furniture range here. Don’t forget barbecues, here. And, for the eternal realist, they also do a range of patio heaters…

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Great news from Sarah Raven’s Kitchen & Garden. This retailer has extended its special offer of 10 per cent off all seeds.

And here are a few items that might tempt you to take advantage of the offer:

• Climbers - Sarah says that it is always useful to have a few annual climbing plants that will romp up and cover a new arch, wall or tepee to give almost instant verticals to any garden.
• Edible flowers - nothing beats the effect of these little gems sprinkled over a salad, whether for guests or as a special summer treat for yourself.
• Herbs - give over a small section of your garden or terrace to herbs and you will never regret it. Here are a selection of Sarah’s favourites.
• Vegetables - always in high demand and the brilliant feedback Sarah gets from customers has shown that where many used to think that growing veg was too much bother, it is now their favourite part of the garden.
• Sweet Peas - it’s Sarah’s favourites from the old-fashioned, highly scented brigade on offer here. And few flowers are more beautiful or rewarding to grow.

To claim your discount, simply enter the offer code RX7WSAVE at the checkout. This code is now valid until January 11 2008.

Looking forward to spring and being able to sit out in the garden once more? In that case here’s a couple of specials at DIY giant B&Q to let you know about:

• New Freedom Doors - An innovative range of bi-fold and tri-fold French exterior doors - priced at £938.00 until December 15.
• A new lower price on Palladium garden rooms - save up to £2,000 on this range from November 30 until December 21. with feature gable ends offer cost effective solutions to shortage of space inside, making the best use of your garden whatever the weather. Prices start from £4,999.

Looking to give or receive some great ethical presents this Christmas? Present Aid is part of the charity Christian Aid and offers a great way to find a thoughtful ‘virtual’ gift for a gardener that will also make a practical difference for some of the world’s poorest people.

As well as buying for others you can set up a gift list for yourself. And every present comes with a free ring tone for WAP-enabled phones.

Here are our top 10 suggestions:

• A can of worms - help a Bolivian farmer fertilise their fields. Organic, cheaper and better for the environment than chemicals, they enrich the soil and help produce more and better crops.
• 2,000 saplings - buy these for a green-fingered friend or loved one and help promote reforestation in Honduras where new trees are vital, acting as wind breaks, holding soil together in tropical storms and preventing mudslides.
• Watering can - It hardly ever rains in the Niger River delta in central Mali, so Hawa Diarra was very pleased with the watering can she now uses to feed and support her family.
• Wheelbarrow - Antadou Kassogue from Mali faces a constant battle against soil erosion, and uses the wheelbarrow to transport the stones he needs to build walls on his land which stop the rain from washing away the soil and its nutrients.
• Beehive - For farmers like Wilson Rosel in Bolivia, bees are a lifeline. “With the money we make from the honey we can buy food and clothes,” Wilson explains. “Even if our rice crop fails.”
• Rainwater harvester - people in the coastal region of southwest Bangladesh have no access to fresh, safe water. Villagers have turned to the sky, capturing and storing clean, safe and sustainable rainwater.
• Seeds and tools - Twelve-year-old Jethro loves the new vegetable garden at his school in Zimbabwe, because once they’ve learned to tend and grow the vegetables, the students get to eat them!
• Ducks - in the face of unprecedented climate change, duck farming helps people like Sunita Ranidash in Bangladesh become self-sufficient, freeing them up from loans and allowing them to work towards a more secure future.
• A herd of goats - A herd of goats can go a long way in a place like Bangladesh. A goat provides milk to drink and sell, while its droppings can be used as fertiliser. This helps people like Johura Begum grow better vegetables to feed their families.
• Greenhouse - in Bolivia, Antonia and her husband grow vegetables in their new greenhouse, ensuring that their children are healthier and their own diet is much improved. They also grow medicinal eucalyptus saplings.

Thought you were in for a winter break? Think again!

Now there’s not much to do in the garden it’s the perfect time to address problems like that grotty old shed or greenhouse falling into disrepair.

And, if you feel like giving it a go, you might like to know about a special offer running on the website of DIY giant B&Q until November 23.

This retailer is offering 15 per cent off order-only garden buildings (that’s stuff you couldn’t walk into a story and buy on the spot) with prices starting from £59.13.

Whether it’s a loft playhouse, an innovative wall garden or a bicycle store, we’re sure you’ll find a product to tickle your fancy.

The retailer is also offering 15 per cent off order-only garden fencing, so that’s another one to tick off the list…