From a small garden or something bigger, a patio or simply a balcony, pots and containers give you an easy way to create instant and changeable displays that you can move around your garden or put right outside your front door.

It’s happened to us all. We’ve excitedly made an appointment to view a house that’s just come on the market. This is definitely the one! But then we draw up outside and our disappointment levels hit an all time low. First impressions and count!

“Gardening adds years to your life and life to your years”. Whoever came up with this quote is on the money. Because gardens and gardening make us feel good, it’s a fact.

Wow, winter well and truly arrived in Edinburgh last week! Gazing out of the window got me thinking about winter gardens and what makes a good one. With so many options to give you colour, scent, shape and interest during the winter months, there’s definitely no need to settle for an empty, desolate garden. And while we might not be able to or want to get outside, we still want to look out at something lovely, don’t we?

Another pot refresh for winter and this time I've replaced some slightly sad-looking grasses which I've cut back and saved for next year and replaced with something lighter that will brighten up a patio or terrace.

A perfect activity for right now is getting those tulips planted. And a tulip lasagne in a pot will look so gorgeous in the spring, you'll be glad you put in the planning and hard graft now!

Now is the perfect time to refresh and replant your pots and containers for autumn and winter. In this video, I show how you can use your pots and containers to inject autumn and winter colour into the garden when everything else is starting to fade.

Do I actually walk around the garden with a notebook?! The answer is yes! Admittedly this was earlier in the summer and rather than planning a plant move I was contemplating the self-seeding machine that is angelica (I do love it but it also loves my garden). But I've been out with my notebook the last few weeks jotting down what needs to move this autumn and next spring.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀