Even though we've just emerged from the wettest year in the hundred years, the unpredictability of British weather means that we're probably in for a drought this time around. The good news is that, if you follow our advice, your plot doesn't have to resemble Death Valley in a John Wayne western.
If you are 'unlucky' enough to have a garden with restricted light, perhaps overshadowed for much of the day by an adjacent building or next to someone who planted leylandii back in the 60s, all is not lost. There are plenty of plants that thrive in the shade. Don't see it as a problem, view it as an opportunity.
In the bleak mid-winter it's encouraging to know that some reassuringly warm colour can be present in the garden. We recommend what plants to use if you want to achieve interest throughout the year, even during the coldest weather.
If your garden is masked in white and the sky is grey, there are a fair few plants and shrubs that can provide inspirational colour. Whether this is through foliage, berries or flowers, they can be a welcome relief from the monochrome months.
Here are ten shrubs that can provide flashes of colour until spring arrives:
