Plant up a low-maintenance pot or border

There are always those leftover spots on the plot that you don’t know what to do with. Once you’ve carefully constructed planting plans for your main show borders and pots, there can be certain pots, beds or borders nearby that need filling quickly to keep everything up to speed and looking good.

The key is low-maintenance planting that will perform for you with no care needed; flower, grow and spread without you having to train, tie-in or deadhead. Leave that to the show borders! The answer is often rockery or alpine plants, especially if you’re aiming for a low-growing, ground cover look.

This side bed is being planted with easy-care sedums, sempervivums and dainty erodiums with their little geranium flowers and tidy foliage; all available at good garden centres. All have been planted in ordinary multi-purpose compost and could also have a layer of gravel on top if you prefer a neater look.

Each will spread and flower in summer and into autumn, their leaves will look attractive, and they only need a water in very dry spells. Here are a few more to consider for your low-maintenance space.

See the gallery for our pick of the plants for your easy border