John’s top tips for success

1 Structure is everything – even more important than colours. If the structure’s wrong, the garden looks a mess. You need to vary the habits and heights of plants, as well as their textural qualities, so I have some bushy ones, some spiky ones and lots of different foliage types for extra effect. 2 In cold areas it’s not worth bothering with Hybrid Tea or Floribunda roses – but Rugosa roses are as tough as old boots and offer a much longer season of interest with their golden leaves and iconic hips. 3 Don’t be afraid of shade. I have one long, sunny edge and one long, shady edge, which I find is perfect. There’s some wonderful plants that grow in shade – and without it I wouldn’t have my beautiful bog garden.