How to win the spring jackpot

For instant colour and structure, you can't beat containers, which you can easily refresh

- DAVID DOMONEY

SUNNY DAYS: 'Tete a Tete' CHEER: Primula vulgaris COMPACT: Muscari NEAT IDEA: Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'

MARCH is here and containers are a lovely way to welcome the start of spring. A good spring container doesn't need to be complicated. It simply needs to look bright now, stay tidy through changeable weather, and give you an easy route to refresh it as the season moves on.

STRUCTURAL LAYER

Start with a hardy grass to give the pot shape and movement, even when flowers come and go. For smaller containers, Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' is hard to beat for neat form and colour. If you prefer a blue-grey tone in a medium pot, Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' makes a smart, compact mound.

For larger pots, Stipa tenuissima brings a softer, airy feel that looks good from every angle. Plant the grass slightly off-centre, so everything feels relaxed and natural.

BULB LAYER