Tips on how to purchase the best bird feeders - plus, find out what else needs doing in the garden this week.

By Hannah Stephenson

There's never really an excuse for not having a bird feeder standing in your garden. But with the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch taking place on January 25 and 26, there is no better time to invest in a bird feeder, or two, to keep our feathered friends happy during the winter and beyond.

There's a plethora of bird feeders on sale, but the RSPB advises keeping in mind some general rules when buying one.

Hanging feeders should be simple designs so they are easy to clean - look for removable ports which will also make cleaning easier.

Feeders with cages around the feeding area or with squirrel guards are best to prevent squirrel problems. Metal varieties tend to be more squirrel-resistant, as cheap plastic feeders can easily be dismantled by squirrels.

Also, ensure there are no moving parts which could trap birds' feet, make sure the products can drain easily, and avoid using mesh bags to house fat balls, because birds' feet can also become trapped in those.

Henry Corbett, Solus Garden & Leisure's head of gardening brands, says: "One of the most important considerations should be that the bird feeder is suitable for the type of food it's going to hold.

"For example, seed mixes need a specialist seed feeder. Most suppliers will sell specific feed designed for individual species such as blackbirds, robins and blue tits, so ensure you have the right feeder for the feed you intend to use.

"Robins and blackbirds are ground feeding birds and require surface feeders. Other birds, such as blue tits, cling on hanging feeders.

"Feeders need to hold enough food for two or three days of feeding, so make sure the feeder you buy is big enough for the amount of birds in the garden. Buy multiple feeders and place them in different locations in your garden to avoid overcrowding."

He also advises gardeners to hang feeders away from trees and walls to avoid giving cats easy access to birds, preferably on metal poles that the cat can't climb up or jump on to.

"Finally, don't forget feeding is a year-round requirement. If you start feeding the birds in your garden, don't stop - birds become reliant on your help."

Here's just a few of the best bird feeders on the market:

Pretty

:: Afternoon tea, anyone? Feed the birds with this quirky ceramic bird feeder from Suttons which features a mixed floral design and comes complete with hanging chain. (£10.99, www.suttons.co.uk, or call 0844 922 0606)

:: Protect your bird feed from pests while bringing classic style into the garden, with a ChapelWood antique bird feeder. Made from hardwearing steel, each high capacity feeder features an integral tube, surrounded by an ornate anti-squirrel cage. Embellished with floral details and a pre-weathered finish, the feeders are available in either dark verdigris or light cream. Each design can be bought as a peanut and sunflower feeder or a seed feeder. (£29.99, for stockists visit www.chapelwoodwildlife.co.uk)

Natural

:: If you want a feeder which fits into a rural setting, check out this hanging willow feeder from Suttons, complete with a roof to keep the contents dry. It features six separate compartments, each containing carefully selected seeds to attract a variety of birds. (£20.99, www.suttons.co.uk, or call 0844 922 0606)

Fun

:: Children will love this ChapelWood Robin Fun Feeder (£7.99, for stockists visit chapelwoodwildlife.co.uk) ideal for use with sunflower hearts, black sunflowers and peanuts. It's made from painted metal mesh and designed to attract a wild variety of birds to the garden.

:: Pretty, practical and fun, this terracotta acorn bird feeder from the RSPB is frost-resistant with three feeding holes. Hang it from a tree or feeding station and fill it with mealworms or seeds to attract the birds. (£13.50, www.rspb.org.uk)

Practical

:: Want to keep squirrels at bay but keep the birds coming? Take a look at the Guardian large seed feeder pack from CJ Wildlife (£37.95, www.birdfood.co.uk, or Freephone 0800 731 2820) which features a central feeder with six portals on which birds can perch, surrounded by a sturdy cage to keep squirrels out. It can be hung or fitted on a garden pole.

:: For smaller birds, consider the RSPB-recommended Helix Seed Feeder (£34.99, www.rspb.org.uk), an attractive feeder housed within a sturdy stainless steel frame, offering safe feeding for smaller birds with high squirrel resistance. It also has a food catcher at the bottom which helps reduce waste.

:: An elegant arched station rather like an obelisk, which has bird feeders hanging from it, is available from Harrod Horticultural. Available in galvanised and matt black powder coated steel framework, it comes with a 10 year guarantee. Up to three feeders can be hung on the squirrel-proof fixing hooks which stop feeders being unhooked and thrown to the ground. (£59, www.harrodhorticultural.com, call 0845 402 5300)

:: INFORMATION: For details on the Big Garden Birdwatch 2014, go to www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

Best of the bunch - Daphne

If you're longing for rich winter fragrance and some pretty flowers, look no further than this shrub, which comes in both evergreen and deciduous varieties and can be small enough for the alpine garden or big enough for the shrub border.

One of the best compact varieties is D. odora 'Aureomarginata', which grows to around 1.5m (5ft), with its glossy evergreen variegated leaves and clusters of small flushed rosy pink petals turning to white on the inside. Other good varieties include D. bholua 'Jacqueline Postill', which produces pink flowers from mid-winter to early spring, and D. mezereum, whose bare winter stems are peppered with purple flowers.

Daphnes prefer fairly fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade.

Good enough to eat - Forcing strawberries

If you want delicious strawberries in summer and have some young, pot-grown plants, act now to get the best crop.

Stick young plants outside as they need a cold spell for around a month in January before being moved under glass in February.

As they become stronger and you can see new growth, step up the watering and when the first flowers appear in April or May, liquid feed the plants with a heavily diluted tomato feed once every few weeks.

The flowers can be hand-pollinated by dabbing the centres with a soft paintbrush every day and transferring the pollen from one flower to another.

What to do this week

:: Take root cuttings from Primula denticulata, Phlox paniculata, oriental poppies and other plants.

:: Protect cauliflower curds from cold and frost by bending the large outer leaves over them.

:: Germinate seeds such as begonias and pelargoniums on windowsill indoors or in the greenhouse.

:: Cut down newly planted canes of raspberries, blackberries and hybrids to within 25-30cm (10-12in) of the ground.

:: Make a polythene tent to prevent rain falling on wall-trained peaches and to reduce attack by peach leaf curl.

:: Buy in well rotted farmyard manure or mushroom compost to mulch borders and dig into soil.

:: Bring potted bulbs into the home to flower.

:: Improve drainage on heavy soils by mixing in generous amounts of gravel or sharp grit.

:: Prepare celery trenches, digging in plenty of compost.

:: Take cuttings from conifers.

:: Plant lilies in patio pots, keeping them in the greenhouse to develop.

:: Give a dressing of potash to red and white currants, strawberries and gooseberries.