Q Which plants will cope in a planter on a windy site?

A For exposed conditions it’s best to choose small-leaved plants, but because in your case the planter enjoys some shelter from the house, it shouldn’t be too cold. Phormiums would work well and their colourful sword-shaped leaves make a good, all-year-round feature plant. You could plant Viburnum davidii around it to offer contrasting foliage and flower shape. This compact evergreen shrub has white flowers in May and blue berries in autumn if you have both male and female plants. Hebes (above) with their evergreen, often variegated foliage and tufts of fluffy flowers would also do well. For trailing plants, groundcover cotoneasters are worth a try.