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In this easy-to-make display, we've combined aloe with a contemporary planter to produce a simple but striking result. Aloe is a succulent plant which, although frost tender, will survive in a sheltered spot in summer. May - AugustMay - October30 minutesAloe variegata x4Decorativ...

Phormiums survive well in most conditions and there are some wonderful dwarf varieties that are perfect for growing in pots. For a cheaper, but equally colourful alternative to phormiums, you could use cordylines. By the end of summer the fragrant lime-green tobacco plants will b...

Hosepipe bans and water restrictions are always a challenge for gardeners. But if you get into the habit of saving water in your garden, you'll be able to take the restrictions in your stride. Storing rainwater will mean you can keep your plants

Dahlias come in a fascinating variety of shapes and sizes, and the pom-pom types, with their rows of incurved petals, resemble old-fashioned bathing caps. Dahlia 'Franz Kafka' lends itself - ironically, given its name - to a relaxed cottage-garden

While many container displays are looking past their best by August, this late-summer display will brighten up a corner of the patio right through autumn. The fiery colours of Crocosmia 'Irish Dawn' and Celosia caracas contrast beautifully with the evergreen foliage of libertia.a...

The rich copper colours of the verbascum, fennel, sedum and diascia plants in this pot echo the colour of the warm terracotta pot beneath. Tall copper flower spikes of the verbascum give height to the display while the wispy, feathery foliage of the fennel adds texture and moveme...

A birch tree makes an ideal focal point and can be grown in a large container. Its silver-white bark and delicate foliage combine with the handsome, soft shield fern and evergreen heuchera leaves for a wonderful woodland combination that will provide year-round interest.October -...

Box always looks smart in a container but it's not the only shrub that can be clipped into shape. Myrtle is an excellent evergreen alternative. Faintly aromatic and with lovely white flowers in spring, it looks stunning from June to August, softened by a sea of blue campanula flo...

these plants at your local nursery and it's possible to plant the skimmias and stipas in the garden when they outgrow the display.Put safety first: be sure to buy lights that are safe for outdoor use, which usually means they'll have a transformer between

Home-grown herbs will bring your cooking to life, so why not make life really easy by planting them in a window box? Position it on your kitchen windowsill, then all you have to do is lean out to snip fresh pickings of fresh, home-grown herbs whenever you want them.May - JulyJuly...