FROM BARE EARTH TO BORDER

• Perennial and annual weeds must be dealt with before planting

• After digging and composting the soil, wait three weeks before planting so germinating weed seeds can be hoed off

• Balance the shapes with billowing mounds, spiky foliage, columnar stems and hovering clouds

• Choose key plant associations and repeat them along the border

• Plants should be well grown in two-litre or 9cm pots (including annuals)

• Plant perennials, wait three weeks and then flood the gaps with annuals

• Use a low-nutrient mulch such as leaf mould, composted bark or Strulch (strulch.co.uk)