EVER-READY GARDEN

Bring year-round colour to your borders with this vibrant, shrub-filled design from garden expert Nikki Hollier

Climate change is happening before our eyes and in our gardens, affecting the seasons and how plants grow. Tending our plot is increasingly a year-round activity as the temperature and weather shifts. It's now important to consider our plant choices even more, as they're expected to work harder by offering maximum flowers for an even longer season.

There are so many lovely shrubs with great colour and shapely foliage that can create interest and texture in your garden throughout the year. Evergreen shrubs are great for adding structure. Larger and mature shrubs can have their lower branches pruned back, thereby raising the canopy. This is called a crown lift, and it's when all the leaves are located in the top section of the plant. This pruni: echnique can also improve the health of surrounding plants due to increased light and air circulation reaching them. Try my suggestions to create a layered border for interest through every season, and particularly in the colder months.