It is a tender plant so he grew it in his French garden at La Serre de La Madonne distributing cuttings to his Riviera

It is a tender plant, so he grew it in his French garden at La Serre de La Madonne, distributing cuttings to his Riviera neighbours. The blade is stainless steel, the handle made from the wood of an acacia tree felled at Kew during the Great Storm, price pounds 21.95.Small, basketwork cloche, about 12in across, price pounds 7.95. This would be no good for plants that need light while they are growing, but would protect newly sown seeds from the attention of marauding cats, or remind you where you had planted the crocuses.Purely for its looks, an antique Mexican pottery jar of comfortable, bulbous shape, with a narrow opening and three finger-holds arranged around the top, price pounds 37.50. Half-hide it among ferns, or let it settle among the hostas.A white-flowered, sweet-smelling Jasminum polyanthum, price pounds 8.95.

By the end of the day I was itching to be in the saddle, out on the gallops.Matilda: I was the only child on the tour I thought I might feel lonely The first horse I saw had a white diamond on its forehead He rolled his eyes and whinnied at me. I felt I’d made a friend.I have my own pony at Granny’s, so I liked comparing. I feed mine hay but I’ll try alfalfa next time, although I don’t expect she’d like bran. I thought I’d learn more about practical things, like how to make my pony go faster.I find grooming difficult, because I have to stand on boxes and things So I liked meeting a jockey and seeing he was so small. My favourite bit was when he had to stand on tiptoes to smack the horse’s bum.Josie: We came with the Daily Mirror Punters Club Many had binoculars. At the morning gallops, they rushed to the white boundary fence and leaned over, comparing notes on which famous jockeys they could see on this bucking piebald or that kicking filly. They’d formed a syndicate to buy a horse, A Breeze, so they wanted to see he was in good form – “not too blowy” Their enthusiasm was infectious.

When A Breeze pranced past we all cheered, then got back on the coach to go to the stables.And I’ve never seen such plush stables, pink, with a dovecote in the middle The horses are treated like royalty Some of them cost pounds 500,000 plus. They have passports, with blood group and distinguishing features. It is thrilling to touch the nose of so much living, breathing cash.David Morris’s stable is small, containing just a dozen “boxes” It’s very much a family affair. His old dog lies around and his daughter’s 22-year-old pony is out to grass. David Morris speaks to his charges with an indulgent, parental tone, asking visitors to turn away when the colt Mr Rough is “having a moment at the private end of him”.The staff on the ground – the trainers and stable hands – were charming, but the tour operators rush you on rather fast The bus nearly left me behind at one point. The up side of this is that neither children or adults have a chance to get bored.The dealGetting there: Rayes Lane, Newmarket, Suffolk (01638 561331). The tour operators will collect from anywhere in Newmarket, including the mainline station.Cost: from pounds 20 per head for half-day tour.Tour duration: 9am to noon, with pub lunch and afternoon racing if required.Access: give advanced warning for buggies and wheelchairs.Food: optional pub lunch, or lots of sandwich places in Newmarket itself.Toilets: Phil Green says, “Stable yards are private property and have no public facilities, but we would not let anyone suffer”.Crowds: the tours are tailored for individual families, but you may be allowed to join up with a group of about 40 Either way, the day will never feel overcrowded..

In a panic about last-minute Christmas presents? Anna Pavord offers some green-fingered suggestions. Yes, of course I should have started planning Christmas in June, but I didn’t Once, I did try to be ahead of the game. From a museum shop, I bought some Christmas cards in October. I put them in a safe place until I should need them – so safe that they have still to emerge That put me off pre-planning So here is a list of last-minute presents for gardeners. With only five days to go before the presents will be handed over, there is far less chance of mislaying them. Make a virtue out of necessity.
Gardeners around London should head for the Fulham Palace Garden Centre in Fulham Palace Road, run not for profit but to raise money for the charity Fairbridge.

This supports 3,000 young people in the inner city areas of Glasgow, Middlesborough, Salford, Liverpool, London, Bristol and Cardiff, and was described in a government report on education as “the single most effective charity working with and training demotivated and disadvantaged young people”.The plant sales area outside the garden centre is currently jammed with Christmas trees. Go inside the big glass building with the rounded roof to find the following:A wicker basket planted with five hyacinth bulbs just coming into flower, price pounds 14.95 Or make up your own baskets. There is a huge selection here, with prices around pounds 6.95 for a basket 12in across and 5in deep. Single hyacinth bulbs, rooted in small pots, cost about pounds 1.75 each.Curvy shanks of proper garden string, ready cut into convenient 3ft lengths, price pounds 9.95.Narrow-shafted bulb planter, made by David Madgwick. We had to drive slowly so that the guide, Phil Green, could point out the famous yards; each yard is practically a village in itself.We were given some racing tips.