At this very low point in the new year, and lower than usual this year, we recommend buying and planting seeds. Whether in a garden or a window box, a few seeds will be a wonderful symbol of new growth and new life and new happiness. First up we recommend a grey poppy – it's called Amazing Grey (although actually it's closer to a pale purple than a Persephone grey) and you can buy 500 seeds for £3 here, enough to give them away as presents and still keep hundreds for yourself.