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Acid-loving azaleas grow happily in pots of ericaceous compost, so you can enjoy these plants even without acid garden soil. They come in a wide range of colours, from deep red and pink to orange, yellow or pure white. Some even have a wonderful

The cup and saucer vine, Cobaea scandens, grows 3m or more in a single summer. It is wonderfully dynamic, with winged buds and flowers that are cream when they first open, turning to dusky purple bells as they mature. The curling, tongue

Buying a camellia in flower lets you choose exactly the colour you want for your patio show-stopper. This single plant will give you delightful spring colour and its glossy, deep green foliage looks impressive all year round, even when its

single variety, planted in large drifts.In damp areas, try planting snake's head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris), an early flowering bulb that looks stunning when naturalised in grass.Bulbs or corms, such as daffodils or crocusLawn-edging tool

Follow Monty's step-by-step video guide to laying an alpine garden path and making alpine beds using membrane and gravel.spring - autumnMore advice on growing alpinesWatch Monty Don make an alpine sandboxPlant alpines in a pot with Rachel de Thame

on planting alpines in a potCreating an alpine pebble displayBrowse plants by soil typeBrowse plants by flower colour

As temperatures rise and summer sets in, give your container plants a little time and care. Water, feed and deadhead them regularly over the next few weeks and you can keep plants flowering and looking good right into autumn.Container plants

' or general plant supports. Push them into the ground around young plants so that they can grow up between the twigs.Tall flower stems of delphiniums or dahlias can be tied individually to bamboo canes pushed into the soil alongside the developing shoots. Tie

the woody, flowered stems. Prune back to just above vigorous green stems growing from low down on the plant.For the thickest woody stems, or where shrubs have become very overgrown, use long-handled loppers or a garden saw to cut through the tough stems

. Practice the basics of rooting softwood cuttings with our step-by-step advice and you'll be able to use these skills for more complex cuttings. 10cm flower potCuttings compostPerlite (optional)Sharp knifeRooting hormone liquid (optional)Polythene bag