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and naturalise in borders, so any plants lost to frost should be replaced by their offspring.More features and advice on growing herbaceous perennialsLearn how to take verbena cuttingsGrow plants to attract beesChoose flowers for late-summer colour

Will our love affair with Verbena bonariensis ever wane? This fabulous flower looks as good growing individually among low border plants as it does planted en masse. The open, airy quality of the stems only adds to the appeal. Wildlife loves V

too many.Forget-me-notsLeave Stipa tenuissima to its own devices for abundant feathery panicles in summer.Stipa tenuissimaVerbena sprinkles seed liberally in autumn, and produces airy stems from midsummer that won't crowd or smother other plants.Verbena

, gritty compost. They take up to three months to germinate at about 15°C and should be left for a few years before transplanting and growing on.PropagationMore plants to grow for late-summer colourChoose flowers for late-summer colourCombine asters, sedums

and petunia with 12 per cent.Yes, the result did surprise me, as although I do grow winter pansies I probably wouldn't have put them at the top of my list. Having said that, if I'd been allowed to vote for the best winter bedding plant then I don't think

and marigolds. Specklings of petunia and verbena. Whooshes of Ricinis communis (Castor Oil Plant) and even occasional ticklings of chard. All this as well as huge phoenix palms and pomegranates in great steel tubs. Very exciting, very impressive and miles better

Why is it that we have no trouble expressing our dislikes, but when it comes to things we love, we're more reticent? Last year I conducted a poll in the office to see which plants were 'most hated' and blogged about the results. The response

for wildlifeLearn how to identify bumblebees in your gardenGrowing wildlife-friendly plantsPlants for bees

and a wonderful stripy frog.Unlike most of her gardening friends, Fabiana grows native plants for moths and birds. A former farm, the land was sown mainly with Italian rye grass for grazing animals. Fabiana removed most of this grass and replaced

in the months ahead.As always, the problem is predicting what weather our summer will bring. Dry, wet, warm, scorching, dull - who knows? So by growing a range of patio plants that relish different conditions I'm hoping at least some of them will thrive.