Pots of joy

For an instant hit of colour that transforms a previously dull terrace or courtyard, containers can’t be bettered, and ‘Attar of Roses’ is high on his list, and he’s also sowing fast-growing borage so he can freeze its flowers into pretty ice cubes. “If we’re allowed to go on holiday, most herbs don’t need mollycoddling and will last in their pots for a week,” he adds. All garden centres have a good range of herbs ideally sized for container planting at this time of year and nearly all are loved by bees and pollinators. Another task high on Arthur’s priorities this spring is to treat his containers with nematodes to combat slugs, snails and vine weevils. “My biggest blight is slugs and snails,” he says. “Treat them between April and May and you’ll reap the rewards later on.”