Holiday HAVENS

Bring the magic of sunnier climes to your garden

- CHRIS MORLEY

Home from away

Trips abroad can introduce us to new and gorgeous plants that we long to grow back at home. The good news is that many plants from warmer climates will thrive in cooler, wetter British gardens if you give them the right conditions. This might involve careful site selection typically, free-draining soil and a warm, sheltered spot - or growing in pots that can be moved to sunny locations in summer and overwintered in a frost-free place.

Mediterranean makeover

Conjure up an Italian hillside with an evergreen Tuscan cypress (Cupressus sempervirens). Tall and pencil-thin, it makes a fabulous statement, especially when planted in a row. The downside? It can reach over 12m, so needs a large plot.

For small spaces, try juniper 'Blue Arrow' (H. 2.5m), which has a slim profile and blue-green foliage for year-round colour.