Gardening tips: plant striking heucheras

Then welcome swifts with a nifty nestbox and get the must-have book to up your GYO game

Heuchera ‘Electra’
Heuchera ‘Electra’: plugs gaps in containers and borders. Photograph: The Garden Collection

Plant this To call Heucheras “foliage filler plants” doesn’t do justice to these herbaceous perennials. Heucheras aka Coral Bells will plug gaps in containers and borders: choose from dozens of cultivars whose leaves range from purple-black (Black Pearl) to lime green with red veins (Electra), with some striking oranges (Orange Dream).

Build this The swifts are coming. These birds swoop back into Britain after their winter migration, but their numbers have halved in the past 20 years. As old buildings are knocked down, swifts are losing their nesting sites. Put up a swift nestbox – visit rspb.org.uk to buy a box or get a guide to make one.

Read this Joyce Russell’s book New Vegetable Garden Techniques (£18.99, White Lion) is a must-have to up your GYO game. From lazy beds to making compost tea, this practical, well-researched book has a thing or two to teach even the most experienced grower.