You may not be aware, but we are fast approaching the time of the slaughter of the innocents.

I refer, here, not to Biblical events, nor to the poor turkeys (and more recently, ducks). Instead, I refer to pot cyclamen. More cyclamen persicum die over the Christmas period than any other houseplant.

I have this on good authority, but am unsure as to how this conclusion was reached.

If you are given one as a gift, put it in good light but not direct sun. It will not appreciate being over a radiator, nor being on a windowsill where curtains are drawn and it is plunged into the cold recesses. It hates draughts.

When it comes to watering, allow it to dry out a little, then place it in a container of tepid water and allow it to take what it needs. Drain it, then put back wherever. You can give it houseplant feed every couple of weeks too.

As the flowers go, you will need to deadhead. This involves placing the fingers of one hand around the base of the plant to keep it on place, then grasping the whole stem and giving a sharp yank.

The other sad case is the poinsettia, or euphorbia pulcherrima. They,too, need good natural light but not full sun. Do not let them dry out, but don’t be tempted to drown them or leave them in water. They hate temperature change and draughts. Feed them every couple of weeks. They are difficult to keep going from one year to the next, as they are “short day plants”, needing spells of dark for bracts (false leaves) to colour up.

Orchids are popular as gifts and none more so than the moth orchid, phalaenopsis. They sit high on branches or rocks where air is warm and moist. The roots are exposed to light, air and moisture rather than buried.

You need to buy and grow them in clear pots. The practice of whacking them in a coloured ceramic outer-pot does them no good. They like partial shade and humidity, so stand them on a gravel-filled saucer but do not let them sit in water.

Water them every week and don’t let them dry out. Feed orchid feed every third watering. Once the flowers go over, don’t cut the whole stem back. Cut to a node (swelling bud) a bit further down and you should get more flowers from there.

Finally, jasminum polyantha, usually wrapped in a contorted fashion around wire hoops. This is not the hardy garden jasmine, jasminum officinale, so don’t think that you can plant it out. It needs plenty of light and is best in a heated conservatory. Keep it well watered and feed every two weeks.

All these would prefer to stand on a tray with gravel and water in, to have humidity. They all dislike extremes of hot and cold, and draughts. They are grown as a commodity to be chucked out with the wrapping paper!