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don't waste energy travelling to them.autumnall year round20 minutesPittosporum tenuifolium x1Skimmia japonica subsp. reevesiana x1 Ivy Hedera helix 'Glacier' x1Carex buchananii x1Tulipa 'Red riding Hood' x 10Square planter, roughly 45cm Round cup bird

March - June30 minutesPink bellis daisies x6Ivy x2Terracotta pot 25cm diameterPeat-free, multipurpose compostWater-retaining gelPlace a layer of crocks in the bottom of the pot to improve drainage.Fill the pot two-thirds full with multi-purpose compost and mix

that would look great in any garden all year round. spring or autumnAll year round20 minutesBamboo, Fargesia rufa x3Red hook sedge, Uncinia rubraTall black planter or other modern pot Multi-purpose, peat-free compostPlant the bamboo as the centrepiece

The dark-green window box and richly coloured plants make a sensational combination. The red scabious takes centre stage, rising above a platform of dark heucherella foliage. March - JulyMay - September20 minutesScabious, Scabiosa atropurpurea

foliage. Height/spread 1.2m x 90cm.Corsican hellebore, Helleborus argutifoliusDespite its name, it's not that likely to flower for Christmas - more usually seen flowering from late-winter. Flowers are white, though sometimes flushed pink, and flat

in late-summer are pretty wide-ranging, as are shrubs, climbers and herbaceous perennials. Most fashionable annuals, exotics and tender perennial patio plants should also stay in flower until late-September, or even early October, if properly looked after

wildlife, they can be made into great plant food and are a surprisingly versatile ingredient in the kitchen.The nettle we're used to in the UK is Urtica dioica, a perennial plant full of iron, calcium, magnesium and nitrogen, which makes it incredibly

It's really easy to extract and sow seed from fruits you've collected, and it's also free. Plants grown from seed aren't always exactly like the parent plant, unlike those grown from cuttings, so look forward to results that could be new, different, and sometimes better.Secateurs...

and shape of its flowers.The day before you intend to pollinate your plant, cut at least one fully open flower from the father plant, making sure it has 2.5cm (1in) of stem. Bring this flower into the house and float it in a shallow bowl of water overnight

Carol Klein offers advice on getting the best results from moisture-loving plants cowslip and fritillary.springMore advice on growing primulasTreating primula leaf spotHow to rejuvenate primrosesBrowse primula varieties