Both birch and dogwood can be increased from softwood cuttings now. To prevent dehydration and bruising, the cuttings should be processed as soon as they are removed from the parent plant. Alternatively, they can be stored in a plastic bag for a couple of hours. Snip off cleanly the top 8 cms or so of soft, new, tip-growth, trim off the lower two leaves and insert into a container with a mix of equal parts peat (or peat substitute) and perlite or grit. Water in gently and encase in a plastic bag or propagator to maintain moist atmosphere. "Bottom heat" (which can be as simple as the not-too-scorching warmth from a radiator below) will help rooting.
Pelargoniums (geraniums) can be increased in the same way, and with a higher success rate. They do not require as moist an atmosphere.
In the herb garden, clumps of mint and chives will benefit by being divided and replanted in soil enriched with some garden compost or proprietary soil conditioner. Mint is terrifically invasive and needs either to be contained within a barrier or relegated to an unimportant corner.