Plants you just can't kill

GARDENING may be the new rock and roll and the outside room one of the designer buzzwords of the moment. But not everyone is born with green fingers or has years of horticultural experience so theanswerbank.co.uk decided to come up with a list of indestructible plants that even a novice will have a job killing off.

�

Growing from direct from seed sounds daunting to many, but it is hard to go wrong with most Cosmos, especially the reds, pinks and whites of Cosmos bipinnatus. You sow them directly into the ground where you want them to flower, be it is full sun or shade, and just water occasionally. Simple.

�

Perhaps the toughest of all is any form of vinca or periwinkle, the most common of which is Vinca minor, whose trailing stems and flat blue flowers make brilliant ground cover. Although planting in sun will produce more flowers it will take on virtually any conditions and may need cutting back in spring to keep it in check.

�

Q.� What about shrubs and evergreens

A.� For bigger or structural plants you can't go wrong with many of the bamboos. Ground cover varieties such as Pleioblastus pumilis or Pl. distichus are naturally forest floor plants so will take deep shade, but will also take sun. Cut them right back in spring and watch out, they can spread. Of the taller varieties, the likes of Phyllostachys aurea, Phy. bissettii and Phyll. propinqua can be shoved in a moist corner and left to there own devices. The only thing to watch out for is drought. Don't let them dry out completely.

�

It is hard to beat Mahonia for toughness, although watch out for the spiky leaves at children's eye level. Among the most commonly available is the evergreen Mahonia aquifolium which will grow in any aspect, sun or shade, make 5ft or over, will take frost and reward you annually in winter with clusters of fragrant yellow flowers.

�

To cover a wall look no further than common ivy, Hedera helix. Put it in the ground and watch it's relentless march upwards and outwards.

�

If you've got a question about your home or garden, click here.

�