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Dog violets, Viola riviniana, appeared almost as soon as I laid the topsoil of my new garden. They’ve been here for three years now, slowly bulking up in corners where nothing else grows.They thrive in the shadiest parts of my garden, flowering just after the snowdrops and before...

Follow Monty and Joe's simple step-by-step video advice to planting up the tree fern, Dicksonia antarctica.springMore advice on growing treesPlanting a bare-root treePlanting a fig treeTraining a nectarine tree against a fencePlanting a small tree

by taking begonia leaf cuttings.Grow begonias with other slug-proof plants.Plant up a hanging basket with begonia and plectranthus plants.Brighten up a shady corner with a rustic display of begonias and pelargoniums.

and only gets two hours of sunlight a day. It's cool and shady, and the walls provide the perfect rain shadows.Looking after auriculas isn't the easiest of tasks. Vine weevils seem to love them, and they’re also prone to root rot if grown in waterlogged

Carol Klein demonstrates how to rejuvenate primula vulgaris by separating newly rooted growth and replanting it.springMore advice on growing flowersCaring for peoniesGrowing lupinsPlanting out cerinthesGrowing dahlias from seed

CompostPlace crocks in the base of the pot and half fill with compost. Place the dogwood centrally in the pot and arrange the fern and the skimmia around its base. Position the pot in a shady, damp spot, where the fern will thrive. Add more compost around the plants

This simple container feature uses only three three plants to dramatic effect. The feathery leaves of the soft shield fern arch gracefully over the edges of the pot, making a perfect foil to the silvery leaves of the Japanese painted fern. And the button-like pink-and-white bloom...

This combination of begonia, pelargonium and fern plants will brighten up a shady area. Although unlikely bedfellows, they all enjoy a lightly shaded spot and make an impressive display. The begonia and fern plants will provide interesting shape

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 little corner of the countrysid...