Its better really to start seeds in the spring, then you do not have the problem of keeping them alive over the winter, difficult enough in a cold green house, the little ones even more so.

I would suggest taking semiripe cuttings and either go to the library/bookshop/garden centre/charity shops
And look for books about growing seeds, taking cuttings, greenhouses etc.

You can try growing seeds now that would flower next year maybe....its a bit late but sweet williams and wallflowers are biennial.....

Propagation can be an absorbing hobby, hope you have fun.

If you want to try growing from your own seed you really need to know which plants are which before you save the seeds so you can label them. If you put photographs on here loads of people will be able to identify them for you, and in the early spring you will be able to ask about growing them. If you want to take cuttings, again it would help to know which plants we are talking about as they don't all need the same treatment.

I hope you get the gardening bug and have many happy hours keeping the garden as nice as it was when your husband was compelled so sadly to leave it.

Thank you for your help. I've bought a gardening magazine which has an article(with pictures, thank heavens) explaining how to take cuttings from Fuchias so I will do that. The seeds I mentioned are perfectly visible on the pansies which just came into bloom on their own earlier this year so I will collect them and buy some seed compost.
The magazine has a packet of seeds also; wish me luck, and no doubt I'll be back for more advice.

Look forward to hearing how you get on, seeds are fascinating, some are easy, others need more preparation....
I bought some heuchera seeds and after weeks and weeks in the greenhouse had about given up with them, until four little green dots appeared.....not many from so many sown but I was extatic!

Going on my own experience (and several other people on here) I would not bother with seed compost as nowadays much of it is too fine and tends to set hard and inhibit germination. I'd use general purpose compost and if its got a lot of coarse bits just pick off the ones near the surface. Let your pansy seeds ripen on the plants, put them either in a paper envelope or preferably a small airtight jar, keep them cool and dry until the spring and sow them about March.

Thanks Steragram. That's saved me from making another mistake. This may sound silly but if the pansy seeds are ready, and, left to Nature, would fall and grow, why do we have to wait until Spring? Hope you are not exasperated by this, I think I saw you roll your eyes Heavenwards! Seriously, I will follow your advice and I'm very grateful to you for taking the time to help me.

Some plants are not hardy and although they will set seed and germinate the cold winter would kill them.Trying to heat a greenhouse is expensive and not always successful....even starting germination on a windowsil in the house can be tricky, the seedlings can go leggy before the danger of frost is passed.
Why not have a go though, or some cut and come again lettuce.....

I,d still reccomend finding a good book

Roll my eyes???Never! Wild pansies do seed into the ground naturally but the big cultivated ones are much better with some TLC. And slugs find the young seedlings a great delicacy out in the garden. The reason you don't plant the seeds very early especially if you are growing them in the house is that the light in winter is weaker and the days are shorter. The young seedlings are desperate for more light so they grow long and spindly trying to reach it through the window. Grown later when there's more light they are stronger and more compact little plants that get off to a better start.. Your new plants may not be like the parents and be prepared for the flowers to be smaller.

Thanks Pamg and Steragram. That all makes good sense and I'll curb my impatience and wait until Spring. Going to get on with the cuttings though. The magazine is Amateur Gardening and shows how to take cuttings from Petunias, Pelargoniums as well as Fuchsias, all of which are in the garden. Shall I put them in the growhouse (which I still have to put together) or on the windowsill?