Mexican Ponytail grass. This small textural mass of blond leaves is popular with garden designers. Great in sunny places such as gravel gardens Year-round interest. Just cut off at the ground in Spring to refresh. Ht 30cm

Big name for a pretty little ground covering fern. This unusual variety is frilly and a fresh lettuce green all year-round making it a great companion for early spring bulbs and as a tight understorey to roses and shrubs. Ht 25cm. Spread 40cm after 2 years

Jerusalem sage is a tough but sumptuous groundcover plant with bold - almost evergreen mats of foliage from which rise yellow whorls of flower in pom-poms up the stem in June. Great seedheads last well through winter. Ht 40cm. spread 1m +

Japanese Black Mondo Grass makes neat little clumps of shining dark foliage. A perfect foil for small cyclamen and miniature bulbs such as snowdrops and crocus. Good in sun or shade to edge borders and paths. Evergreen and easy. Ht 10cm

Euphorbias are handsome evergreens with architectural foliage and huge spring panicles of lime green flowers when little else is looking interesting. This species needs full sun, good drainage and plenty of space as it gets up to 1m high by the same across. Gently seeds about in time. The milky sap is a skin and eye irritant so handle with care when removing the spent flowerheads in spring. Ht 1m

Dramatic biennial plant that will seed about and pop up in unexpected places. Set in bold, prickly ruffs, the flowers attract myriads of insects and bees in summer. Long flowering and very architectural if a bit prickly! Good for picking Ht. 30cm. Nice winter seed heads (9cm or 1 ltr pot supplied)

Easy good looking evergreen groundcover. The glossy leaves often turn purple in winter but it’s best to trim away last years foliage by March to make way for dainty little clouds of pale orange star-like flowers in April. Good in dry shade where it makes dainty carpets. 20cm

Classic, native winter shrub which makes a fuzz of gleaming stems; red at base fading to tips of burning gold. Prune hard every 2 years for the brightest effect. 5 months of winter colour. Avoid dry soils and can be slow to get going but a real joy once it is settled. Grows 1.8m

Classic variegated dogwood with bold cream-splashed leaves and red stems in winter. Occasional white flowers and blue berries are a bonus. Ht 1.8m Avoid very dry soils

Garden designers love the elegant upright plumes of this grass. Good for adding accents along a border and the skeleton looks good all through winter. Upright marooon flowers in mid summer 1.5m