Nick Hamilton explains why getting to know your garden’s sun, soil and shade situation will better help plants thrive

REAL readers' gardens!

Learn to love the dim and shadowy corners of your plot – without the harsh glare of the sun’s spotlight, you can build an environment rich in texture, gentle colour and seasonal interest

Anne outlines her top jobs to be getting on with over the coming fortnight

Turn a shady corner into a lush, wildlife-rich woodland garden this April by working with nature

Purple punctuates the planting: here an acer, verbena and some pinky-purple crinum, or swamp lily, stand out