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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...

. It is down to earth and a great part of the British countryside. Cardamine pratensis is commonly known as the cuckoo flower, presumably because it flowers at the same time as the cuckoo appears (we noticed both on the same day). The cuckoo flower is a member

Find out how to encourage the best sweet pea crop, by following Sarah Raven's video guide, with tips on pot selection, pinching out and which plants to choose.OctoberMore advice on growing sweet peasHow to use plant supportsMonty's advice on sowing sweet peasHow to pot on sweet p...

Learn how to grow sweet pea plants from seed with Monty Don's step-by-step video advice.springMore on growing flowers from seedPotting on sweet peasGrowing lupinsPlanting out cerinthesGrowing dahlias from seed

Sweet peas are the classic annual climber and look just as lovely in pots as they do in a border. 'Spencer Mix' has large flowers and long stems, good for cutting, but 'Cupani' and 'Painted Lady' are particularly good as their short stems give good

staking than other varieties, which tend to have dense, heavy heads of petals.Cactus dahlias are perfect for providing extra colour to herbaceous borders, as they have such a long flowering season. They also come in a rangeof heights, so can be planted

Sown now in the greenhouse, dahlia seeds will produce young plants ready to plant outdoors in late May to flower this year. Seed companies sell a range of quick-growing bedding strains that are suitable for growing this way. You can also use

Watch Monty Don as he creates a scented garden using a variety of lavender plants, with suggestions for encouraging bushy growth.summerMore advice on growing herbsMedicinal herbs by Jekka McVicarPicking herbsRaising new mint plantsPlanting herbs in a window box video projectBrows...

The sweet-smelling irises should be in flower by late-winter if the weather is mild. Before then, you can enjoy the foliage combination of the needle-like iris, the filigree ivy and the crimped fern. If you plant up this container feature in autumn

parsley and sorrel will sulk if the compost dries out in hot sun, so place the container in partial shade. Feed weekly with seaweed extract until early autumn, to encourage leaf production, and to keep plants sweet and succulent.Cut off the faded flower