Clockwise from top left:

The geometric formality of an octagonal bird bath, surrounded by clipped hedging, is softened by infill blocks of sedum and santolina; for an impressive trick of the eye, use mirrors to extend the sense of space and bring a glimmer of light into a shady corner – hunt out pretty Gothic styles and then paint and distress them; a sundial in the centre of a planted area makes an eye-catching and practical feature – place one in an accessible spot where it will receive sun all day; an oxidised, circular sculpture acts as a window to draw the eye through and also echoes the clipped buxus spheres; placing a piece, such as this seated figure, among the rushes at the edge of a natural pond lends a sense of delight in discovering the hidden surprise; this classical figure stands out against a foil of massed asters, silvery plectranthus, and autumnal, russetcoloured berberis