Arguably one of the best hostas, 'Wide Brim' has puckered, heart-shaped leaves which are mid-green with wide, cream edges and some streaking. In mid-summer, it bears pale lavender, funnel-shaped flowers. Conserve soil-moisture as much as possible by adding plenty of organic matter to the soil before planting, as well as mulching in spring and autumn. For the lushest displays, feed with a balanced fertiliser between March and June. Do not feed after this period or you will encourage the sort of sappy growth that slugs adore! Take appropriate protective measures against slug and snail damage. The Royal Horticultural Society have given it the Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

This is a popular iris, a big hit since being introduced in 1912, with early to midsummer sapphire blue flowers with darker blue veins. The downward-pointing petals are edged white, and the more vertical ones are richer blue. It belongs to the Siberian group of irises, the most elegant kind, which tolerates a wide range of locations. Arrange plants at least 45cm apart, and set them in a deep hole so that the bottom 2.5cm of leaves are buried, then water in and give the occasional, all-purpose feed.

An attractive and unusual lavender from hot, dry Mediterranean regions, and best grown in a warm position, sheltered from cold winds and frost. It is not fully hardy, but survives well in a sunny corner or against a warm wall, and makes an excellent container plant that can be brought under cover in winter. It is an old variety, cultivated for more than 400 years, and a favourite both for its intense fragrance and also the short dense flower spikes topped with a flourish of conspicuous rich violet bracts, rather like a set of extravagant ears. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

This beautiful hardy annual has become very much in vogue in recent years. It has oval, fleshy blue-green leaves, mottled with white, and rich purple-blue, tubular flowers held inside sea blue bracts. Bees love it and can be seen buzzing around the plants in summer. For early blooms, sow in pots indoors in early spring. Alternatively sow outdoors in April. Once introduced into the garden, self-sown seedlings will mean that it rarely disappears.

Viburnum plicatum was first introduced as the garden form found in Japan in 1844, before the original wild form, V. f. tomentosum, was discovered. It is a remarkable shrub, with widely spreading branches that naturally assume a series of horizontal tiers. 'Mariesii' emphasises this layered effect, dramatic at any time, but especially when the flowers appear, neat lacecap heads arranged in two parallel rows along the upperside of the spreading branches. Careful pruning, similar to that used for espalier apples, can produce a satisfying symmetrical shrub. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).