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Hostas reign supreme when it comes to striking foliage. All hostas look great in containers, but for something a little more unusual, try Hosta nigrescens. Its upright habit makes an eye-catching patio feature.May - JuneJune - August30 minutes Hosta nigrescensLarge, glazed contai...

Before the leafy tree canopy returns in late spring, the woodland floor is alive with colour. If you have a partially shaded spot, plant up a container with pretty flowering perennials such as foamflower, brunnera and bleeding heart, and recreate a

of the thyme and ivy. September - early FebruaryFebruary - April20 minutesPansy plants x2Thymus pulegioides 'Archer's Gold' x2Ivy plants x3Medium-sized window boxFill the window box with compost. Place the pansies centrally and add one thyme on either side

not to break them.Water your arrangement and ensure it never dries out. Deadhead faded cowslips to encourage new blooms.AdamThese plants are perennial and can be planted in the garden after flowering. They enjoy a shady setting where they are free to naturalise

-growing alpine phloxes are covered in blooms from late-spring to early summer, as is the glossy mat of saxifrage.March - April April - June20 minutesThrift, Armeria maritimaAlpine phlox, Phlox douglasii 'Lilac Cloud'Saxifrage, Saxifraga 'Triumph'Wall container

-garden style, floating like balloons above the feathery foliage of Cosmos 'Sensation' and its delicate, pink petals. Use a large container for this display, as this combination of plants reaches 1m in height. Prevent the planting scheme from looking too top

'Gypsophila cerastiodesPratia x2Small potWire 'gabion' basket planter, 23cm x 23cm x 15cm CompostFill a pot with compost and place a wire mesh container inside the pebble gabion. Place the alpine pink centrally in the container and position the pratia and Gypsophila

. The Nandina domestica makes an an eye-catching centrepiece all year round, with attractive flowers and berries, and fantastic autumn colour.SummerAll year round40 minutesNandina domesticaHeuchera 'Bronxe Beauty'Dryopteris erythrosora x2Black cube planter

scabious echoes its purple accents from mid- to late-summer. Above these plants arch the leaves of the grasses, gently swaying in a summer breeze.March - April June - September20 minutesSedge, Carex buchananiiBlue fescue, Festuca glauca x2Scabious x2Thrift

These sun-loving plants make a dazzling combination when planted together. The silverbush looks good even after its white, bell-shaped flowers have faded; meanwhile, the wallflower keeps churning out gorgeous spikes of mauve flowers for months on end. And no summer garden is comp...