Chris and Linda’s garden favourites

Tree lilies

Not trees at all, but very tall, branching varieties of lily for the back of borders. Can reach 2.5m (8ft) tall and have large flowers.

Agapanthus

Sky blue South African perennials that bring bold colour from late summer. Strappy leaves and starburst flowers look great with grasses.

Winter daphnes

One of the classic stars of the season, daphnes are a varied lot, though many plump for the charming, widely available Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ for its long leaves on semi-evergreen branches, boosted in beauty by scented, pink flower clusters. Plant in spring by a path or a doorway in dappled shade to get the best benefit. For extra pizzazz, try D. odora ‘Rebecca’ with its cream-lined leaves. From www.hayloft.co.uk.

This winter honeysuckle is a demure sort, unlike its summer scrambling cousins, but you can be sure its scent lives up to the family name (hinted at in its species name, too). It’s the sort of plant you smell first before you see it, stopping you in your tracks to look around to try to find the scented superstar hidden from view. Dangling like ballet dancers along gangly, leaf-budded stems are tiny white flowers, unshowy as they needn’t compete with many other flowers at this time of year for bees’ attention. Plant in summer or autumn, and for best results, train against a sunny wall. From www.crocus.co.uk.