BBC Gardeners World Magazine 2026-08-03T14:01:09.000Z https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/feed/atom BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Plants for a purpose: summer plants for shade]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/plants-for-a-purpose-summer-plants-for-shade/ 2026-08-03T14:01:09.000Z 2024-06-01T09:04:12.000Z A shady corner is often seen as a problem area in a garden, but it needn't be so. There are masses of gorgeous plants that will thrive in shade. Silver or variegated leaves work really well to brighten a dark spot, as do white or pale flowers, which almost seem to glow in shade. There is a plant for every shady garden and here we share some of our favourites. Included are plants for both dry and moist soils, evergreen perennials to provide interest all year round, as well as deciduous plants that seem to appear from nowhere in spring to brighten the garden with their delicate beauty. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

Find more ideas for shade planting:

• Plants for spring shade
• Plants for autumn shade
• Five tips for planting in shade
• Planting scheme for a shady border
• Nightmare shady spot of plant death – 23 plant varieties that will thrive (Premium)
• More shade-loving plants to try

Stachys officinalis

Chosen by Frances Tophill, Gardeners' World presenter

Stachys officinalis (wood betony). This is a lovely purple flower that grows in hedgerows or open woodland. Not many shade lovers produce such bright flowers in the summer but this plant will. As well as that it has medicinal properties, for calming and for digestion. It is therefore used a lot in treatment of nervous digestion and anxious tummies. Aside fromt hat it is wonderful for pollinators and beautiful to look at.

Foxgloves

Chosen by Pippa Greenwood, Gardeners' Question Time presenter and plantswoman

Foxgloves, be they the wild types or any of those with slimmer, strongly downward-facing flowers. I love these because I've had them in all my gardens, they add a certain magic, are a serious bee-magnet...and when I was a small child I was often to be found with the individual flowers wedged onto my tiny fingers, making me feel as if I was wearing nail varnish!

Knotted cranesbill

Chosen by Ashley Edwards, Horatio's Garden head gardener

Knotted cranesbill (Geranium nodosum) is excellent in dry shade, even under mature trees. Pale pink flowers appear throughout summer and will usually give you a second flush if cut back end of July. A plant that needs little, but gives a lot.

Chrysogonum virginianum

Chosen by Chris Beardshaw, garden designer

A curious North American species related to the aster, this chirpy plant is tireless and trouble free in shade. Golden yellow, five petalled composite blooms sparkle over luxuriant, deep green foliage, seemingly relentless in their enthusiasm to last out the summer. Amiable in soil and under larger shrubs, (I have a good colony under potted camellia,) but it blends well with ferns and other shade lovers such as omphalodes, hosta and epimedium.

Persicaria bistorta

Chosen by Kevin Smith, editor

I have lots of the lovely plant in the shady areas of my garden, and its fluffy pink flowers always put on a great show from late spring and on-and-off through the entire summer. Persicaria bistorta is super easy to dig up and divide, and I've increased my stock massively over the years having started with just one plant. It enjoys moist soil, so shady damp spots are best.

Thalictrum delavayi

Chosen by Emma Crawforth, horticultural editor

Thalictrum delavayi loves the partial shade at the back of my garden. It produces masses of very pretty mauve flowers on tall stems each summer and tolerates winter cold too, by dying back then sprouting again the following spring.

Geranium phaeum

Chosen by Kay Maguire, reviews editor

One of the first gardens I worked in was a shady plot edged with established trees, and growing in swathes was Geranium phaeum with its moody maroon flowers. It's prolific with attractive purple flecked leaves and blooms in early summer, but if you cut it back after flowering you'll get another flush later in the season.

Astrantia

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor

These starry little flowers suit every planting scheme! I've seen them look delightful in cottage-style gardens, prairie plantings and sleek contemporary schemes. Astrantia flowers are loved by bees. They come in a range of shades from deep crimson, through pinks to white. The white varieties grow best in dappled shade, in moist soil. The pink and red types will cope with a little shade but prefer it sunnier.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Plants for a purpose: spring containers]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/plants-for-a-purpose-spring-containers/ 2024-03-26T17:13:00.000Z 2024-02-23T20:51:25.000Z There's nothing like a spring container to celebrate the fact that we've turned the corner, leaving winter behind us. From bright yellow daffodils that yell 'Spring!' to more subtle narcissus that whisper the change of season, or from the lush green of ferns to a sweet-shop display of tulips, there's a spring container for everyone. And the beauty of a container (a small one at any rate) is that it's portable so you can move your pot of joy to wherever you'll see it most – right on your front doorstep, or just outside the kitchen window so you can gaze at it while doing the dishes! Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

More inspiration for spring containers:

• Monty's tips for planting up a spring container
• Step-by-step guide to making a daffodil pot display
• Create a spring bulb tray

Tulips

Chosen by Alan Titchmarsh, TV presenter and gardening writer

Nothing beats tulips! I plant them at the rate of ten to a 25 or 30-cm diameter terracotta pot in October. They stand in a sheltered spot by the garden shed until the flower buds are out and then I move them to the terrace alongside the house.

• How to grow tulips

Narcissus bulbocodium 'Arctic Bells'

Chosen by Frances Tophill, Gardeners' World presenter

I am a big lover of bulbs. I love daffodils, especially the more refined ones and 'Arctic Bells' is my particular favourite. The tubular or cup-shaped flowers, of the palest yellow, sit on top of thin green stems. They are delicate and beautiful.

You may also like:

• Narcissus bulbocodium 'Golden Bells'

Omphalodes cappadocica 'Starry Eyes'

Chosen by Ashley Edwards, Horatio's Garden head gardener

This plant really shines in spring, with its pale lilac flowers with their star-shaped blue centre. It looks great against spring bulbs, and the veined foliage provides a lush backdrop.

You could also try:

• Omphalodes cappadocica 'Cherry Ingram'

Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête'

Chosen by Pippa Greenwood, Gardeners' Question Time presenter and plantswoman

Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête' – what's not to love? Small, wind-resistant and gloriously golden, they reliably pop up in pots and planters year after year. I use them in my spring containers but also with potted shrubs and other permanent plantings... and it doesn't take long for them to start to multiply too!

Polystichum tsussimense

Chosen by Cel Robertson, founder of Forever Green flower company

A collection of pots filled with spring bulbs is one of the joys of spring, but amidst all the colour I love to thread through pots of ferns. Polystichum tsussimense is particularly beautiful, with finely textured fronds that are reliably evergreen, providing the perfect green foil for the showier narcissi and tulips.

• Best ferns to grow

Crocus ‘Orange Monarch’

Chosen by Sinead Fenton, Aweside Farm manager

After a long, grey winter, a vibrant pop of colour is something I find myself in desperate need of. This rich orange crocus with its intricate dark veining looks like a small flame, and gives a much needed reminder of warmth as we break out of the winter and into spring!

• How to grow crocuses

Muscari 'Valerie Finnis'

Chosen by Isabelle Palmer, The Balcony Gardener founder

This beautiful grape hyacinth with its delicious fragrance is a must for spring pots. The palest of blues, the flowers conjure images of summer skies. Plant them at the front of your pots paired with other bulbs such as tulips and narcissus.

Drumstick primula

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor

If the vivid polyanthus on sale in your local DIY store are too garish for your tastes, Primula denticulata is just as cheerful but a little more subtle. The round balls of purple flowers look glorious combined with late-flowering daffodils, tulips and other spring bedding.

• How to grow primulas

Tulips

Chosen by Jo Cloke, art editor

Tulips are one of my favourite flowers for spring pots as they come in such different forms and colours. They can look spectacular if you plant several varieties together in a container, and you can cut the odd stem for a vase indoors.

• Five stunning tulip combinations

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Plants for a Purpose: spring plants for shade]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/plants-for-a-purpose-spring-plants-for-shade/ 2025-01-15T13:52:46.000Z 2024-02-12T16:25:10.000Z A shady corner, border or garden can be brought to life in spring with the right planting. Silver or variegated leaves work really well to brighten a dark spot, as do white or pale flowers, which almost seem to glow in shade. There is a plant for every shady spring garden and here we share some of our favourites. Included are plants for both dry and moist soils, evergreen perennials to provide interest all year round, as well as deciduous plants that seem to appear from nowhere in spring to brighten the garden with their delicate beauty. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

Find more ideas for shade planting:

• Five tips for planting in shade
• Planting scheme for a shady border
• More shade-loving plants to try

Uvularia perfoliata

Chosen by Arit Anderson, Gardeners' World presenter

This year I’ve planted Uvularia perfoliata in my shady border where it will look great with ferns. It will only grow to about 30cm tall and its pale lemon bell-like flowers are beautifully delicate.

You may also like:

• The larger species of uvularia Uvularia grandiflora

Silene fimbriata

Chosen by Sue Kent, Gardeners' World presenter

In my garden there is a very narrow shady border and to light up the area in spring I have planted the perennial Silene fimbriata. From a base of green leaves shoot long narrow stems which branch out to hold several bell-shaped calyxes each of which is edged with delicate white fringed petals. I did not believe anything so delightful could grow in such shade.

You may also like:

• Silene alpestris
• Silene uniflora 'Alba'

Brunnera

Chosen by Flo Headlam, Garden Rescue presenter

I've been using brunnera as a reliable ground cover that gives a burst of colour in shaded areas for years. When it's happy it will bulk up and spread out, lighting up the dullest of corners with its silver-veined leaves and tiny sky-blue flowers.

• How to grow brunneras

Helleborus x hybridus 'Ashwood Garden Hybrids'

Chosen by Cel Robertson, founder of Forever Green flower company

One of my favourite spring perennials, hellebores are easy to grow given a little shade and cultivars from the 'Ashwood Garden Hybrids' group make lovely, robust plants. I like to plant white or soft pastel-pink shades that will brighten the darker corners of the garden, underplanted with snowdrops and interspersed with ferns for interest in early spring. Once the seed heads start to form they make long-lasting cut flowers too.

Lamprocapnos spectabilis

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor

It's new name may be a mouthful, but the bleeding heart plant (previously known as Dicentra) is worth the effort. The delicate arching stems of this perennial are dripping with the prettiest, heart-shaped blooms. There are white-flowered varieties, but the original pink form has stolen my heart. It grows best in dappled shade or partial shade in damp soil.

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

Chosen by Kevin Smith, editor

The sky blue flowers of B. macrophylla 'Jack Frost' look a bit like forget-me-not blooms, though they're somehow deeper and richer. The flowers last for a long time, and sit above striking silver foliage that remains for the whole season until temperatures begin to dip. This brunnera grows well in my shady spots, some of which are also dry, and happily it self-seeds freely.

Hellebore

Chosen by Jo Cloke, art editor

I have hellebores in my back garden near the French doors, and I love it when they come into flower as it's one of the first signs that spring is here. I enjoy having a cup of tea and watching the bumblebees collecting their first pollen from the downward-facing flowers which protect the pollen and give the bees some shelter.

• The best hellebores to grow

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Plants for a purpose: veg everyone should grow]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/plants-for-a-purpose-veg-everyone-should-grow/ 2024-01-12T10:57:55.000Z 2024-01-12T10:57:55.000Z Harvesting and eating homegrown veg is one of life's joys. Whether it's picking leaves for a winter salad or harvesting sweetcorn for a summer barbecue, there's something special about eating veg that you have grown yourself. Not only does it taste so much better than shop-bought, it also couldn't be fresher or more healthy – or better for the environment, with no packaging or food miles involved. And of course being out in the fresh air and getting your hands in the soil growing your own veg is great for the soul. You don't need a lot of space either as a container on a sunny doorstep will make a great spot for growing your own tomatoes or chard. Here we share some of our favourite veg to grow. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

Find more veg inspiration:

• Adam Frost's Grow & Cook podcast series
• Vegetable growing guides
• How to grow vegetables in pots
• Beginner veg to grow

Squash 'Tromboncino'

Chosen by Frances Tophill, Gardeners' World presenter

I love squash. They are the best autumn vegetable, in my opinion, because they are so versatile for cooking – you can roast them, fry them, make them into soup or a pie, mash them, and anything else you can think of. But also 'Tromboncino' grows really well. It climbs, is prolific, and you can eat the young squashes small, or let them develop into a large "trombone". Cure them like any other squash (leave the fruit outdoors in the sunlight or in a greenhouse for a week to 10 days) and they can keep for months.

• How to grow pumpkins and squash

Radish ‘White Icicle’

Chosen by Sue Kent, Gardeners' World presenter

If I could only grow one veg it would be the radish ‘White Icicle’. A great choice for first time veg growers, radishes are quick and easy to germinate and are ready to harvest in just six weeks. This particular radish's edible root is long, white and tapered and has a milder flavour than its red cousins. If left to bolt it produces edible seed pods that I use in salads or stir-fries, or alternatively I pick the seed heads for flower arrangements.

• Other radish varieties to try

Chilli peppers

Chosen by Chris Beardshaw, garden designer

My glasshouse is never without chilli plants, proof that they are a key ingredient in the kitchen. For a rapid turnover of fruit (two months from sow to harvest) and a compact plant, try the variety ‘Quickfire’. For the barbecue or grill, and to be served drizzled in olive oil or dusted in sea salt, I also love jalapeños – they're easy and reliable and plants overwinter well. For a variety that sets all who eat it aglow, you could try the curled cherry red fruits of ‘Bhut Jolokia’ or ghost pepper, one of the hottest chillies in the world, but handle with care and use sparingly as it's not for the faint-hearted.

• Twelve chillies to grow

Chard 'Bright Lights'

Chosen by Toby Buckland, Gardeners' World presenter

Swiss chard is my must-have veg as it’s harvestable all year round and is so versatile in the kitchen. Colourful rainbow chard 'Bright Lights' is the best variety as the leaves are both food for the table and the eye with its mixture of red, white and yellow stalks. This variety is great for a small garden and can also be grown in a container.

Sweetcorn 'Swift'

Chosen by Pippa Greenwood, Gardeners' Question Time presenter and plantswoman

Sweetcorn, in particular the variety 'Swift' is a must-have. Shop-bought sweetcorn simply never tastes so good, so sweet or so juicy. The great thing about 'Swift' is that it ripens, as the name suggests, earlier than many other varieties so, even when we're having (another) grotty UK summer, it still crops reliably and tastes wonderful. I grow it every year.

Beetroot ‘Golden Detroit’

Chosen by Sinead Fenton, Aweside Farm manager

The ‘Golden Detroit’ yellow beetroot is so deliciously sweet and tender, with a flavour unmatched by any other variety. This beetroot has the added bonus of not turning everything they touch pink as you prep them. I roast them, pickle them or use them raw in salads and their sweetness and unique flavour is always retained.

• Unusual beetroot to grow

Squash 'Crown Prince'

Chosen by Oliver Parsons, horticultural sub-editor

I don't think I can remember a year in the last decade when I haven't grown the reliable winter squash 'Crown Prince'. It yields massive green-blue fruits that last an age. Cut the leading stem when one or two fruits have set and they'll grow to enormous proportions.

• Types of squash to grow

Tomato 'Gardener's Delight'

Chosen by Jo Cloke, art editor

Great for anyone to grow, Gardener's Delight can be grown from seed in a greenhouse or you can buy established plants from the shops to grow outside. They are as happy in nice deep pots as in the ground, as long as they have lots of sunshine, regular water and are protected from the wind. There is nothing better than picking your own fresh and tasty tomatoes, and the vines smell amazing!

• How to grow tomatoes

Salad rocket 'Sky Rocket'

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor

Salad leaves couldn't be easier to grow, and peppery rocket is my favourite. You can simply sow the seeds direct and enjoy up to six months of harvests. It even looks pretty when it's bolted – mine does bolt as I always sow more than I should. It adds bite to salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes and so much more.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Our favourite January plants]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/our-favourite-january-plants/ 2024-12-02T14:06:23.000Z 2023-12-20T11:39:34.000Z There's an array of plants that can bring colour to your garden this month, in different forms, from vibrant bark to beautiful flowers. Here, we share our favourites to add colour and interest, through the cold months ahead. There's something for every space, whether you want a pot to brighten a patio or a statement tree to bring years of pleasure. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

Find more January inspiration:

• 12 ways to re-design your garden on a budget
• Our New Year's gardening resolutions
• Pruning in January with Arit Anderson

Cornus mas

Chosen by Adam Frost, Gardeners' World presenter

Known as the the Cornelian cherry, it's one of my favourite small trees, it's full of character and a plant that just keeps giving. In late winter, it can become the real star when the bare branches become covered with bright, yellow flowers. Cornus mas is a compact tree that I tend to grow as a multi-stem. As it matures, the bark begins to peel, revealing copper tones. It will not ask a lot of you, either, as it's a real toughie. I have clipped the top of mine in the garden to create lovely domed shapes.

Sarcococca confusa

Chosen by Flo Headlam, Garden Rescue presenter

I love this solid, reliable evergreen. Slow and steady is how I see her. Deep green foliage, smart yet understated, providing exquisite fragrant flowers followed by dark fruit. Sarcococca confusa requires very little pruning - I like its unpredictable sprawling habit, personally.

Chimonanthus praecox ‘Luteus’

Chosen by Errol Reuben Fernandes, The Great Garden Revolution presenter

For most of the year this is a pleasant if unremarkable large shrub, with mid-green lance shaped leaves. However, it is in winter that this beauty really shines. Best planted where it is backlit by low winter sun, Chimonanthus praecox 'Luteus' produces a profusion of milky yellow, translucent blooms. The flowers appear like diffused fairy lights all over the bare-branched frame and they fill the fair with the most sweet, heady scent. I particularly like seeing it underplanted with snowdrops and partnered with Rhododendron duricum ‘Midwinter’.

• How to grow wintersweet

Helleborus 'Walberton's Rosemary'

Chosen by Emma Crawforth, horticultural editor

This hellebore is a cross between Helleborus niger and Helleborus x hybridus, and it combines the best of both! It flowers from December until March, and its large, pink blooms and held upright, making them easier to admire. Perfect for brightening dull days.

• How to grow hellebores

Galanthus nivalis

Chosen by Kevin Smith, head of content

Little beats seeing the first snowdrop of the year, and it’s something that encourages me to venture to the bottom of the garden (where mine are) in the depths of winter. I planted lots ‘in the green’ about 10 years ago, and they’re now beginning to form a beautiful carpet. There are lots of lovely varieties but, for me, there’s no need to venture beyond the traditional classic.

• How to grow snowdrops

Euphorbia ingens

Chosen by Gynelle Leon, Prick Ltd founder

The Euphorbia ingens was my first large succulent; I carried it home from Columbia Road flower market. I love its sculptural shape, and it transports me to the YSL gardens in Morocco, where I first fell in love with cacti and succulents.

• How to grow succulents

Cyclamen coum

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor

It seems impossible that such a tiny, and seemingly fragile, plant could bloom at this time of year. The delicate pink flowers of Cyclamen coum emerge, as if from nowhere, and look divine under trees or in pots where you can admire them up close.

Hamamelis

Chosen by Angelica Wilson, commerce & digital marketing executive

Perhaps most commonly known for its medicinal uses, the witch hazel is one of my favourite winter-flowering shrubs. In the depths of the darkest months, when many plants lay dormant, fireworks of spider-like fragrant blooms burst into life in fiery shades of red, orange and yellow along its bare branches.

• How to grow witch hazel

Helleborus lividus

Chosen by Lily Middleton, content creator

One of the joys of late winter and early spring is crouching down to the ground and peering up into the beautiful flowers of a hellebore. Helleborus lividus is particularly attractive, with its unusual lime green blooms.

Chamaerops humilis

Chosen by Oliver Parsons, horticultural sub-editor

In low, winter sun this makes an incredible silhouette against the sky. Cut straggly old leaf stems, leaving just the newish ones at the top, or you'll lose that amazing shape in a mess of tattered old foliage. Warning: the thorns are sharp! (…and I have to admit, I still can't work out how to pronounce the name Chamaerops humilis)

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Plants for a purpose: winter containers]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/plants-for-a-purpose-winter-containers/ 2024-02-13T15:06:06.000Z 2023-12-08T12:21:30.000Z An attractively planted container will bring colour and interest to your garden even in the depths of winter when all around is dormant, waiting for the spring. A winter container can be squeezed into almost any garden space, whether a small balcony or patio, or they can take pride of place on your doorstep. Here we share some of our favourite plants for containers, guaranteed to brighten up the darkest of days. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

Find more container ideas:

Container plants for winter scent
Colourful winter containers
Carol Klein's favourite plants for winter containers

Witch hazel

Chosen by Adam Frost, Gardeners' World presenter

For winter flowers and delightful scent you can’t go far wrong with a witch hazel (Hamamelis) and they come in an array of sizes, from medium shrubs to small trees. You will find one that is happy in a pot. Most flower in winter and provide a real hit of colour with their spider-like flowers which cover the branches. When planting into a container, I use a soil as the base for the compost, then add peat-free compost and composted bark. I tend to pot on over a period of time, getting the plant to the biggest pot possible. You will find growing them in pots will restrict their size. Most are happy in sun or part shade, just don’t let the pot get water logged over winter.

• 10 witch hazels to grow

Skimmia japonica

Chosen by Frances Tophill, Gardeners' World presenter

Skimmia japonica – the female one. I love the bright, red berries on this shrub, and its glossy, green leaves. People usually go for the male plants, with pink spires of flowers, but for me the red berries are so cheerful and the stems are really lovely in Christmas wreathes.

• How to make a Christmas wreath

Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis

Chosen by Arit Anderson, Gardeners' World presenter

Winter containers need to battle the cold and lower light levels. Sarcococca hookeriana var. humulis is great as a background foil for any combination with its glossy evergreen leaves giving good structure. With the bonus of a highly scented white flower, it is perfect for a pot near a back or front door.

You may also like:

• Sarcococca confusa

Helleborus argutifolius

Chosen by Ashley Edwards, Horatio's Garden head gardener

Corsican hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius) is a hardy evergreen with leathery blue-grey leaves. It adds dramatic texture to your container, with lime green flowers held high above the foliage from late winter into spring.

Leucojum vernum var. vagneri

Chosen by Chris Beardshaw, garden designer

Large pearl-white, pendant lampshade flowers, tipped with lime green on stout stems amongst rich strappy foliage are the selling points of this characterful winter-blooming plant. Often mistaken for snowdrops, leucojum are more bold, statuesque and solid in stature. Plant densely, with bergenia, under the canopy of the classy Ribes sanguineum 'Albescens' in a large container for an orchestrated winter blooming experience.

Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'

Chosen by Isabelle Palmer, The Balcony Gardener founder

Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' is a slow-growing, compact conifer that makes a perfect dwarf shrub for containers. The foliage has a silver-blue sheen and is perfect for a winter pot as a base of evergreen colour. Its form also adds wonderful shape to a container and can be grown in most aspects except full shade. It has a delicate scent that reminds me of this season and woodland walks.

Helleborus (Rodney Davey Marbled Group) 'Anna's Red'

Chosen by Emma Crawforth, horticultural editor

Hellebores are fantastic in winter pots as their foliage is bold and attractive, plus you get subtly beautiful flowers, which somehow tone in beautifully with other winter plants. Do go for a long-flowering one though, as a winter pot needs to provide interest over several months, when the garden is more bare than usual. I've chosen 'Anna's Red', because not only does it produce masses of gorgeous crimson blooms over several months, it also has wonderfully marbled foliage, providing decoration even when there are no flowers. Our gardens tend to be more shady in winter than other months, and 'Anna's Red' is perfectly happy not to see the sun.

Winter pansy

Chosen by Jo Cloke, art editor

I always have winter pansies in my garden, they are my 'smily faces'. I usually go for a purple and white combination and it's great that they will last into spring, and sometimes into the summer, to grace the garden and make me feel happy!

Camellias

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor

At a time of year when everything else feels drab and dull, camellias are an unexpected joy, with their big, bold flowers. I love varieties like Camellia sasanqua 'Crimson King', with bright magenta flowers in the depths of winter. They like ericaceous soil, so if, like me, your soil is too alkaline, grow them in a large pot of ericaceous compost.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Plants for a purpose: evergreens]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/plants-for-a-purpose-evergreens/ 2025-11-20T12:52:34.000Z 2023-11-23T16:39:48.000Z Evergreens keep their leaves all year round, so they are a must in any garden. They're particularly good choices in winter when their green foliage adds some much-needed interest and structure to a bare garden. Here, we share some of our favourite evergreens. There are options to suit any style of garden, as well as ideas for evergreen hedges. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

More evergreen inspiration:

• 20 best evergreen shrubs
• Best evergreen climbers
• 10 of the best evergreen plants

Hebe salicifolia

Chosen by Arit Anderson, Gardeners’ World presenter

For something that is quite elegant but gives an evergreen presence in the garden, I like Hebe salicifolia. I have one in a large container, which has been handy to move around the garden to fill a gap when needed. It likes sun or part shade and is reasonably hardy, and has long racemes of pale lilac flowers in the summer.

• All you need to know about growing hebes

Pittosporum tobira

Chosen by Sue Kent, Gardeners’ World presenter

I like plants that will do many things. Pittosporum tobira not only has glossy evergreen leaves, but its flowers are larger than other pittosporums and have a sweet scent, emerging white in late spring and turning yellow in early summer. The shrub has dense growth, so it may be useful as a medium-sized hedge.

Rhaphiolepis umbellata

Chosen by Nick Bailey, Gardeners’ World presenter

I don’t label many plants as perfect, but this compact evergreen spherical shrub, which virtually reads as a piece of topiary, is about as close to perfection as you can get. It flowers with clusters of white blooms for several months through summer, rarely needs pruning, and I’ve never known it to have a pest or disease!

Choisya x dewitteana 'White Dazzler'

Chosen by Flo Headlam, Garden Rescue presenter

I've recently been seduced by this dinky little choisya. Compact enough to tuck into a border, the flower buds dazzle like jewels before they open, releasing their gorgeous scent.

You may also like:

• Choisya x *dewitteana '*Aztec Pearl'

Polystichum setiferum

Chosen by James Alexander-Sinclair, columnist and garden designer

I would go with an evergreen fern, Polystichum setiferum. Not a plant for a wild romantic gesture, but hardy and reliable (always preferable in a long-term relationship once all the early lovey-dovey stuff has settled!) Goes well with Solomon’s seal and other woodlanders.

Skimmia japonica 'Rubella'

Chosen by Cel Robertson, founder of Forever Green flower company

I have a skimmia planted by my north-facing front door, which brings me such pleasure through the winter and early spring. It has a long season of interest; panicles of red flower buds are held above the foliage for months before bursting into bloom, filling the early spring garden with wonderful scent! It also lasts well as a cut flower if you can spare a couple of sprigs for a vase!

Taxus baccata

Chosen by Kevin Smith, Content Director

Although not a terribly exciting plant on first thought, I've always had a soft spot for yew. I have lots of it in my garden in various forms – a hedge, clipped pyramids and free-form trees just doing their thing. They were all planted bare root and were exceptionally good value for money. It took a decade to get it all to a place I'm happy with, but it was worth the effort, and the feeling of satisfaction is huge. Garden birds love yew, too, and the various plants are home to countless nests and habitats.

Pieris 'Flaming Silver'

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, Head of Digital

This tough little shrub is perfect for brightening up a shady spot. Pieris likes acidic soil, so I grow it in a pot of ericaceous compost, next to the shady side of my shed, and it thrives despite my neglect. Its new growth is bright red, and its clusters of white spring flowers are loved by bees.

Euonymus japonicus 'Green Rocket'

Chosen by Oliver Parsons, Strategic Projects Editor

Sometimes those variety names are right on the money. Euonymus japonicus 'Green Rocket' is a rich, dark green, and it grows straight up, like a rocket, reaching about one metre in height. Not really a plant for hedging, but a couple of little clusters of these do wonders to break up a large herbaceous border and give it year-round structure.

• Best euonymus to grow

Hedera helix

Chosen by Lily Middleton, Content Creator

When trying to get a bit more privacy on my balcony, ivy never lets me down. It's incredibly easy to grow, and having it in a pot means it is easy to train where I'd like it. Mature plants also produce flowers in autumn, which are beneficial for insects, and berries in winter, providing a valuable food source for birds.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Plants for a purpose: autumn containers]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/plants-for-a-purpose-autumn-containers/ 2024-12-02T12:56:11.000Z 2023-09-28T11:01:26.000Z If your garden is looking lacklustre, a container bursting with vibrant autumnal plants is the quickest and easiest way to give it a boost. There's a host of beautiful plants that are looking their best right now, that will thrive in a container. Here, we share some of our favourite plants for autumn pots. There are options to suit every colour scheme, and plants that will thrive in sun or shade. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

Find more planting inspiration:

• Plants for autumn shade
• Plants for autumn flowers
• How to grow in containers

Prostrate rosemary

Chosen by Frances Tophill, Gardeners' World presenter

Softening the edges of any container is so important in terms of design. But when you soften them with an evergreen, like trailing rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), you get fantastic interest all year round, including in autumn. Even better when that plant is edible, highly aromatic, medicinal, delicious and has flowers beloved by pollinators.

Autumn crocus

Chosen by Chris Beardshaw, garden designer

Reliable old hybrids that perform well rarely go out of fashion, and this is true of the vivid amethyst blooms on Colchicum 'Glory of Heemstede'. Usually seen colonising in open, short grass or through late borders, I find it is a great candidate for a large container, to bring a sparkle in areas where there is a colour lull. It’s especially effective when densely planted, creating a display worthy of a flower vase. After blooming, simply move the pot to a cool and sheltered spot to enjoy the lavish early spring foliage.

Cyclamen

Chosen by Pippa Greenwood, Gardeners' Question Time presenter and plantswoman

Admittedly, some cyclamen are hardier than others, but in a protected spot, such the one close to my front door, even the more fragile forms can withstand all but the harshest weather. One of the reasons I use them so much is that they provide not only strong splashed of rich colour from the blooms, but many also have wonderful foliage – silvery variegation and patterning so lovely that the flowers simply become a seasonal bonus!

How to grow indoor cyclamen

Hylotelephium telephium 'Purple Emperor'

Chosen by Isabelle Palmer, The Balcony Gardener founder

The dramatic, almost black, succulent leaves of Hylotelephium 'Purple Emperor', topped with dark red flowerheads, from August to October are perfect for pots that need interest. Their unusual form pairs wonderfully with heucheras and chrysanthemums. Place in full sun, where they provide a valuable source of nectar for butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

• How to grow sedums

Violas

Chosen by Kevin Smith, editor

I always buy a couple of trays of violas once summer bedding plants have passed their best and my pots need sprucing up. I favour the small flowers of violas over those of pansies, which are larger, and always choose ones that are a single block colour rather than bi-coloured. Violas are great value and flower their socks off all autumn, through winter and culminate in a final spring flourish. There's nothing not to like!

Dahlia 'Waltzing Mathilda'

Chosen by Cel Robertson, founder of Forever Green flower company

This open-faced dahlia is a magnet for bees and pollinating insects. It will flower right through from late summer until the first frosts, with blooms a bright blend of coral-apricot and red, offset beautifully by dark foliage. This compact variety is a great choice for containers in smaller gardens.

Alstroemeria 'Summer Party'

Chosen by Lily Middleton, content creator

Alstroemeria 'Summer Party' makes summer parties last well into autumn. It's a compact variety, so perfect for pots, and I love the vibrant pink blooms with a splash of yellow. A great way to keep the vibrancy of summer going for as long as possible.

• How to grow alstroemeria

Chocolate cosmos

Chosen by Ashley Edwards, Horatio's Garden head gardener

Chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus), is a tender perennial from Mexico. The delicious scent of the flowers gives this plant it’s common name. The airy, burgundy blooms go brilliantly mixed with autumn-flowering grasses.

Nandina domestica

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor

Nandinas are easy-to-grow shrubs with a light and airy shape and they looks good virtually all year round. They're evergreen and yet the leaves also have great autumn colour, they also have small summer flowers, followed by glossy autumn berries that last through the winter. They prefer slightly acidic soil so grow in pots of ericaceous compost if your garden's soil is too alkaline.

Dahlia 'White Aster'

Chosen by Emma Crawforth, horticultural editor

This compact dahlia variety produces masses of creamy-white pompom flowers, each only around 5cm in diameter. It's a good size for a medium (40cm) container and mixes well with lots of other colours. Try growing it alongside pink or apricot cosmos, Salvia microphylla varieties or other dahlias. You can plant dahlia tubers in spring; they're good value and need little care to reach flowering stage. Alternatively, buy pots in summer once they've grown into plants. As with all plants in containers, you'll need to water them regularly.

• Best plants with white flowers

Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'

Chosen by Miranda Janatka, senior content creator

This dwarf hosta produces lovely foliage and is perfect for pots – as not only is it easier to keep away from slugs (we know that slugs do love hostas!) but it's also easier to see the compact leaves. Hostas cope better with shade than many other plants and provide foliage until it dies back in winter, then returning in spring. While it will flower in the summer, I cut these off as I prefer to encourage new leaves, which have a slight blue hue to them.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Plants for a purpose: autumn shade]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/plants-for-a-purpose-autumn-shade/ 2025-09-02T09:49:22.000Z 2023-08-29T14:54:10.000Z Shady corners needn't be gloomy. There's a host of beautiful plants that will thrive in partial shade and full shade, and even plants that can cope with dry shade. Here, we share some of our favourite shade-lovers that look fabulous throughout autumn. There are options to suit every colour scheme, and plants that will thrive in pots as well as your borders. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

Find more planting inspiration:

• Our favourite September plants
• Plants for beautiful September pots
• Plants for late-summer colour

Saxifraga fortunei ‘Black Ruby’

Chosen by Nick Bailey, Gardeners' World presenter

Just as the rest of the garden is fading this impossibly exotic-looking saxifrage sends forth a mass of deep pink blooms, which virtually float above its shade-busting glossy burgundy foliage. Each flower is composed of five petals with the lowest being much longer than the rest giving it a unique starry look.

Pheasant's tail grass

Chosen by Toby Buckland, Gardeners' World presenter

My go-to filler for the dry shade is the evergreen pheasant's tail grass (Anemanthele lessoniana). As the weather cools, the foliage turns a lovely smoky bronze, setting off the yellow and orange leaves as they tumble from the trees. It also gently self-sows for new plants for free.

Actaea

Chosen by Manoj Malde, garden designer

I love Actaea ‘Queen of Sheba’ because it puts on a show, with its elegant bottlebrush flower spikes rising above the mass of dusky purple foliage when many other plants in the garden are looking past their best. I leave the flower spikes on because they provide an interesting silhouette through winter.

Mukdenia rossii 'Karasuba'

Chosen by James Alexander-Sinclair, Gardeners' World Magazine columnist

It may sound a bit like a Middle Eastern flatbread, but Mukdenia 'Karasuba' is a fabulous plant for ground cover. Quite slow-growing but with great leaves that flush red like an embarrassed nun in autumn. White flowers in springtime.

Callicarpa bodinieri

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor

Callicarpa, or beauty berry, has the most unnatural-looking berries, in bright, gleaming purple. They last long after the leaves have fallen in autumn, making it easier to admire their vibrant splendour as they adorn bare branches – they're fabulous cut and added to flower arrangements. It's fairly unassuming the rest of the year, so perfect for the back of a slightly shady border.

Violas

Chosen by Jason Williams, creator of the Cloud Gardener blog

A bedding plant that's widely grown and for good reason – violas are easy to grow, flower for ages, and they are perfect for pots. Many varieties are also edible! As a container gardener in a small space, plants with a dual purpose – pretty and edible – are a great way to maximise your space.

Stinking iris

Chosen by Lily Middleton, content creator

This poor iris seems to have been unfairly named, when it's such a star in autumn. Iris foetidissima thrives in shade, and whilst the flowers are quite understated, in autumn its seedpods split open to reveal startlingly bright orange seeds. Just avoid crushing the leaves; this is what causes the stink!

Liriope muscari

Chosen by Kevin Smith, editor

The glossy, evergreen leaves of this beautiful plant sit patiently for the lion's share of the year, before sending up purple spikes of flower as summer begins to fade. In my garden, lily turf copes really well with shade – at times the ground is also very dry and it never seems to complain. I've mixed lirope with brunnera and astrantias at the front of a border.

Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’

Chosen by Oliver Parsons, horticultural sub-editor

Like all Japanese maples, ‘Orange Dream’ wants to be doing its thing in semi-shade under the protective wing of trees to keep it from getting scorched. This one is more of a shrub, growing to just above head height, and delivering the goods with lime green leaves that transform to an almost sci-fi blend of pink and orange come autumn.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Plants for a purpose: Summer containers]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/our-favourites/plants-for-a-purpose-summer-containers/ 2024-12-03T16:51:07.000Z 2023-06-28T08:55:11.000Z If you're looking for a quick and easy way to add a burst of colour to your garden, then a container packed full of plants is the perfect solution. And in the middle of summer, there's an abundance of options to bring fabulous flowers and foliage to your pots. Discover some of the best plants for glorious summer containers. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

Find more summer pots inspiration:

• 20 summer container ideas
• Tips for feeding plants in pots
• Best summer bedding plants

The container pictured above, includes: Ocimum 'African Blue', Gomphostigma virgatum, Fuchsia 'Thalia', Salvia leucantha 'Midnight', Salvia coahuilensis, Cuphea caeciliae.

Zinnias

Chosen by Arit Anderson, Gardeners' World presenter

This year I am hoping my seed-grown Zinnia elegans 'Benary’s Giant Purple' are going to pack a punch in my containers, giving me cut flowers and colour all the way through to October….fingers crossed!

• How to grow zinnias

Hebes

Chosen by Sue Kent, Gardeners' World presenter

In larger containers, as I can’t move the pot or change the plants with ease, I select evergreens for year-round interest. Choose a compact variety, such as Hebe ‘Caledonia’, which will not grow to more than 60cm in height and spread, making it ideal for a pot, and it has an abundance of small purple flowers blooming from spring to late summer and beyond if deadheaded regularly.

• How to grow hebes

Cushion bush

Chosen by Toby Buckland, Gardeners' World presenter

The Cushion Bush (Calocephalus brownie) is a must in my containers. It loves full sun, survives infrequent watering and the leaves are the colour of liquid silver. A perfect contrast to neighbouring flowers and greenery.

• Plants for a cool colour scheme

Angel wing begonias

Chosen by Flo Headlam, Garden Rescue presenter

Every year I have a container of Angel wing begonias in my garden. I love the heart-shaped leaves and the blousey, garish coral or salmon coloured flowers that put on a show right up until the first frosts.

• How to grow begonias

Erigeron karvinskianus

Chosen by Manoj Malde, garden designer

I love using Erigeron karvinskianus as it makes a great filler, gently draping over the edge of the container. The profusion of small, pretty, daisy like flowers, which are white in colour with a blush of pink, provide a long season of interest and I mix it with other perennials and grasses in a container.

Ocimum 'African Blue'

Chosen by Adam Duxbury, commissioning editor

Although basil might seem an unusual choice for a summer container, I think everyone should try growing this unusual herb in a mixed pot. Not only do you get delicious, highly aromatic leaves but, in summer, purple spires of flowers will shoot up. They make a lovely foil to other summer ornamentals and will be abuzz with pollinators too.

• Basil varieties to grow

Agapanthus 'Arctic Star'

Chosen by Cel Robertson, founder of Forever Green flower company

I’m not a huge fan of bedding plants in pots, but I do love a statement perennial in a container. Agapanthus are well suited to growing in pots, where they will thrive for many years. 'Arctic Star' is one of my favourite varieties; the white flowers always look fresh and cool at the height of summer.

• How to grow agapanthus

Ipomoea 'Sweet Caroline Purple'

Chosen by Isabelle Palmer, The Balcony Gardener founder

I love the sumptuous, dark burgundy-purple foliage of this annual, and use it widely in my windowboxes. Its soft, trailing foliage finishes of the look wonderfully with a cascade of leaves. It also lightens to a softer hue in the summer sun with a metallic hue. It does flower, if the growing conditions are right, but I use it for the leaves.

• Best plants with dark foliage

Osteospermum

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor

Osteospermums will fill pots with large, vibrant flowers from June until October. I love the pink and purple-flowered varieties, but there are also yellow and orange ones, if you prefer. They make a great centrepiece in small pots or a striking filler plant in large containers. They are perennial, but need protection from frost.

• How to grow osteospermums

Indian mint

Chosen by Sinead Fenton, Aweside Farm manager

I love the way this variety drapes down just like an ivy plant, cascading in the most wonderful way. It is even more spectacular when it’s in flower – the dainty white flowers create a whimsical feel. It also has the most unique scent – fresh mint meets oregano; it’s a true delight.

• How to grow mint

Verbena bonariensis

Chosen by Jason Williams, creator of the Cloud Gardener blog

Plants for pots don't have to be small. I like to create focal points around my balcony by adding some height into larger containers – and Verbena bonariensis is perfect for doing just that.

• How to grow verbena

Pelargonium tomentosum

Chosen by Oliver Parsons, horticultural sub-editor

At its best growing en masse from the biggest terracotta pot you can find, as the amazing furry foliage will spill down beautifully. Not many pelargoniums do shade, but this one benefits from a little, and even sometimes a lot – certainly don't leave it in intense midday or afternoon sun for too long in summer or those huge leaves may curl up and wither in short order.

• How to grow pelargoniums

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