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Bring life to a shady corner with this mix of shade-loving favourites. There are hundreds of fabulous hostas to choose from. At the back of the planter the green fern adds strong textural contrast. If you can't live without flowers, mix in some

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

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

Watch Sarah Raven's video demonstration of how to plant allium bulbs in the dry garden at Berryfields, with advice on the ideal location, soil condition, and planting depth.autumnMore advice on growing alliumsHow to collect allium seeds

Surround your roses with strongly scented companion plants, such as lavender, thyme, rue and garlic chives, to help keep aphids at bay. While gardeners are attracted by their beauty, rose pests are deterred by the herbs' strong scents. March - April

Summer pruning wisteria encourages the development of short-flowering spurs that will carry the long racemes of bloom in spring. The long vigorous shoots are cut back to a couple of buds from the base of the current season's growth. During initial

Winter pruning wisteria encourages the development of short-flowering spurs that carry the flowers in spring. The long vigorous shoots produced on the wisteria need to be cut back at least twice during the year, so you'll need to repeat this pruning

Agapanthus are easy to grow from seed and you may get flowering plants in as little as two years.Collect seed when the seedhead is becoming brown and the capsules are starting to burst. If the weather is turning cold you can collect seed prematurely

.AdamAfter planting, keep the hyacinth bulbs moist during the growing season and they should reward you with flowers over a long period of time.When buying bulbs to plant outdoors, avoid those that have been specially treated to flower indoors at Christmas.More bulb