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flowering times:10 best varietiesIf planted in a sheltered, south-facing spot, 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation' will be in flower by Christmas. While most daffodils in bloom at this time of year are usually small, this variety has large, windmill-style flowers

Shade can be a nightmare if your heart is set on growing summer bedding, fruit and veg, or Mediterranean plants, which need direct sun to flourish. But there are plenty of beautiful plants which thrive in shady conditions.Many people imagine

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

Growing helleboresA must-have for the winter garden, hardy hellebores flower from late-winter to early spring. They also make great cut flowers - simply snip off flower heads and float in a shallow bowl of water.There are many varieties of hellebore

pretty display for the Christmas table. In colder situations it will flower prolifically until the first frosts, then bloom intermittently in warmer spells until the end of the year.Dig in plenty of organic matter before planting the bulbs and water them

, which open to pinky-white flowers in spring.Skimmia japonica 'Rubella'I love this hosta, with its flashes of creamy white on dark-green undulating foliage. Planting hostas in pots helps to protect them from slug and snail attack.Hosta 'Night Before

shoot. Always cut just above a healthy, full-sized leaf. That's where the hormones concentrate, so the plant is able to produce a new flowering shoot quickly.Deadhead regularlyMulch roses in spring and autumn, with well-rotted compost or manure. Feed

AstilbesAstrantiasBegoniasCrocosmiasEuphorbiasFernsFuchsiasGrassesHardy geraniumsHelleboresHydrangeasJapanese anemonesLady's mantleLavendersLilium henryiPelargoniumsPenstemonsRosesSedums20 top slug-beatersDon't overfeed young plants in spring, as this only encourages soft growth, which slugs love to eat.Top tips for foiling

flowerheads in summer. It will perform equally well in a sunny border or a container.Jarava ichuThis easy-to-grow bearded iris, with butter yellow and lavender petals, will flower from late-May to mid-June.Iris 'Lullaby of Spring'This short, smoky yellow iris

.Anemone blandaA natural hybrid between a scilla and a chionodoxa, this bulb produces brilliant blue spring flowers. Originating in Turkey, it's happy growing out in the open at the front of a border or in the shade between shrubs. For a simple look, plant