How to choose and care for your plants

The three golden rules of garden design are:

• Right plant at the right place - this means planting while keeping in mind the needs (sun, soil, shade and water) of your new buddy.
• Good bones - have a blueprint of the layout with walls, paths or patios before you start planting. This helps to keep the garden organised all year round.
• Repetition - instead of having everything in your garden, make a conscious choice of what you want to plant. Groups of three or more help create a rhythm and make the space feel intentional.

Used for designing a balanced garden, the 70/30 rule suggests having 70% of your planting made up of structural and repeated plants, which act as the backbone of the design. The remaining 30% can be seasonal, unique, and unusual plants that add interest to your garden.

Here are some plants that thrive in the uncertain climate of the UK.

• Evergreen shrubs such as Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin', griselinia, mahonia, camellia, and ceanothus hold their foliage through winter and keep borders looking full.
• Evergreen feature trees like olive trees, holly standards, yew, Prunus laurocerasus novita and rotundifolia, and hardy eucalyptus varieties provide structure and height throughout the year.
• Architectural evergreens including cordyline and phormium add strong shapes that stand up well to the UK winters.
• Evergreen grasses such as carex, uncinia everflame, and Juncus Spiralis bring movement and texture even in colder months.
• Hardy ferns like dryopteris, athyrium, and jurassic gold stay attractive in shade all year round.

Anybody who is new to gardening, can easily grow edibles like tomatoes, mint, strawberries, basil, lemon balm, sage, thyme, chilli peppers and courgette. For adding colour to your garden, you can never go wrong with lobelia, calliope geraniums and begonias. For easy-care shrubs, choisya, hebe emerald gem, and paloma blanca are great picks. Houseplants like peace lilies and snake plants are low maintenance too. Explore more ways to create a low-maintenance garden.

Yes, several plants grow brilliantly indoors. Herbs like basil, mint, lemon balm, sage, and thyme thrive on bright windowsills. Chilli peppers also do well indoors with plenty of light. Some tomatoes can be grown inside if they get strong sunlight and regular feeding.

Watering depends on the plant and the season. Houseplants such as peace lilies, rubber plants, and philodendrons prefer soil that dries slightly between waterings. Bedding plants like petunias, begonias, and geraniums need more frequent watering in warm weather. Veg and fruit in pots, especially tomatoes, strawberries, and cucumbers, may need regular (daily) watering during summer.

Feeding makes a huge difference for your plants. Fruiting plants such as tomatoes, peppers, chillies, strawberries, and cucumbers benefit from regular feeding. Bedding plants like petunias, calibrachoa, and begonias flower better when you feed them weekly. Evergreen shrubs such as choisya, photinia, and camellia need a spring feed for healthy growth.

Herbs including basil, thyme, sage, and lemon balm are generally considered safe for pets. Some ferns such as dryopteris and athyrium varieties are also pet‑friendly. But always double‑check individual plants, as some houseplants (like peace lilies) and outdoor plants can be harmful to your furry friend.

You can keep citrus trees outside as long as the temperature is above 5°C. If the temperature falls below that, move them into a conservatory, greenhouse, or bright indoor spot for winter.

To keep your flowering plants blooming, remove faded flowers regularly. Keep the compost moist, avoid letting the pots dry out, and feed your plants weekly to encourage continuous flowering.

The best plants for air purification include peace lily, rubber plant, ZZ plant, devil’s ivy, and Heartleaf philodendron. These are all easy to care for and help freshen the air inside your home.

Give your herbs plenty of light and avoid overwatering. Basil, mint, thyme, sage, and lemon balm all prefer good drainage. Trim them regularly to keep them bushy and prevent flowering. It helps them stay productive for longer.

As long as they need similar conditions (light and water), you can mix different plants in one pot. Mixed herb pots (like basil, thyme, sage, and mint) work well. Outdoor plants such as petunia, calibrachoa, lobelia, begonia, helichrysum, and ivy also thrive together.