Select good garden ‘doers’ that bring interest to your plot for many months

Liz Zorab picks her favourite self-seeding and spreading plants for easier gardening

Look to the beautiful beds and borders of Hidcote Manor to discover how to prolong the season of interest, with this advice from National Trust head gardener Lottie Allen

Hardy fuchsias bring jewel-like droplets of enduring colour delicately suspended in borders to brighten the September garden

Try our pick of the most beautiful plants you can buy now

Tilly Ware visits Knoll Gardens in Dorset, which offers a masterclass in how to make your garden stay beautiful for longer