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and firm in.AdamAll of these plants like damp conditions, so water the pot regularly. The fern will appreciate a thick mulch of garden compost or well-rotted leaves to help retain moisture in the soil.Use a lime-free compost or water regularly

the rootball to hold it in place.Position the ophiopogon plants around the astelia, firming them in with compost, then add the pansies.Top up the pot with compost, leaving a generous gap at the top for watering, then firm the compost down.Water well, then mulch

, then half fill it with gritty compost.Knock the palm from its pot and stand it on the compost in the centre of the container. Top it up with compost, firming it around the rootball with your fingers.Finish with a decorative mulch of gravel or pebbles

or ornamental mulch, then water thoroughly.AdamChoose a large, heavy terracotta or ceramic pot for greater stability.Plant a single hosta in a pot. A single plant will produce a more pleasing shape than a group of small ones.More advice on growing hostas

Verbena bonariensis is semi-hardy, so plants may be damaged by winter frosts. Protect the roots with a layer of straw or mulch in winter, and don't cut back the dead stalks until new ones have emerged in spring. If left, verbena bonariensis will self-seed freely

plants, I'll apply sulphate of potash, which will also boost fruiting potential. And, to further nourish the canes, I’ll treat them to a good, thick mulch of mature manure, recently delivered in a large trailer by a farmer friend.Hopefully, all

thoroughly.Add a layer of decorative crushed stone or pebbles to the surface of the compost. This mulch will look attractive and help conserve moisture in the container.Advice and inspiration for container plantingChris Beardshaw's video guide to creating a

well before applying a 5cm-deep mulch of damp compost around the base of the plants to help conserve moisture in the soil. Coax stems to climb by carefully twining them around the canes.AdamMake a shallow dent in the soil near the plants, fill

, the fill the trough with compost and plant the sempervivums. Finish off with a layer of gravel mulch.AdamYou can buy slates from reclamation yards, or you might be lucky to find some lying around in your own or a friend's garden.More garden DIY projects

before replacing the pots.More advice on feeding and watering plantsHow to save water in your gardenHow to "fit guttering on your greenhouseTips on watering your plantsHow to water hanging basketsFeeding your plantsMulching beds and borders, with advice