Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ (mahonia) £39.99
Position: full or partial shade Soil: moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist or well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: November to March Hardiness: fully hardy Slender spikes of bright yellow flowers appear from November to March, above rosettes of large, handsome, dark green, holly-like leaves. The flowers of thi s lovely, upright, evergreen shrub have a fragrance reminiscent of lily-of-the-v alley, and seem to glow in the wintry sunlight. They are followed by bunches of highly ornamental, round, deep purple berries. This mahonia makes a lovely focal point for a shady spot in the garden, where its glossy, architectural lea ves can be appreciated all year round. Give it space, as its leaves will spread, and conceal its long ‘legs’ with spring-flowering bulbs and small, shade-loving perennials. Although it prefers shade, it will tolerate sun as long as the soil remains moist. Garden care: Prune in spring after flowering, reducing overlong, leggy stems to a sideshoot or a whorl of foliage and apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant.

Dome plant support – bronze £34.99
These come in two sizes. They are a great idea for protecting young or established plants in your borders from being trampled on. The plants are able to grow up through the wire which will act as a plant support for mound forming perennials. You can group some of the domes at the front of the border to create a barrier against larger mammals such deer, dogs and foxes. The domes are soon covered by foliage and will be hidden, becoming a subtle detail in the garden. Produced from coated steel rod. Measurements: Small: Height 28cm, Diameter 26cm Large: Height 41cm, Diameter 63.6cm

Blechnum penna-marina (alpine water fern) £9.99
Position: partial or deep shade Soil: moist, humus-rich, acid soil Rate of growth: average Hardiness: fully hardy Spreading to form a carpet of slender fronds, which when they first emerge have a bronze-red flush, this shade-loving evergreen fern looks great on the woodland floor. Plant it where it can settle in undisturbed and then become colonised with other shade-lovers. Garden care: Incorporate lots of well-rotted leaf mould or garden compost into the planting hole. Keep well watered during the growing season.

Campanula ‘Iridescent Bells’ (campanula) £6.99
Position: full sun Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: June to September Hardiness: fully hardy Flowering over a prolonged period throughout summer and autumn, this is a great little plant for adding colour to the herbaceous border. The show starts when upright stems rise up above the foliage, each bearing clusters of up to 30 rich purple buds. These open over several months to large soft lilac-silver bells, which together with the buds, create a bicoloured effect. This hard-working, no-fuss perennial is ideally suited to cottage garden schemes and the flowers will be sought after by bees. Garden care: Protect the tender foliage from slug damage using environmentally-friendly slug pellets or beer traps. During the growing season water freely and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser each month. Cut back after flowering both to prevent self-seeding and to encourage a second flush of flowers.