If you have the space, a nice thing to do at this time of year, is to fill a large planter with sub-tropical plants, a perfect way to add instant impact to your garden, big or small.

It gives you the chance to fulfil your wildest planting ambitions and grow bold, statuesque plants. Many sub-tropical or tender plants are perfect for planting in a large container, as they provide masses of growth in just one season. The impact made to your garden can be mind-blowing. Plants that will work well for you are things like aeoniums, cannas, euphorbias, martini and mellifera and maybe some dahlias! There are plenty of alternative containers you can find by mooching around garden centres and antique shops. A good idea, is to position the container where you want to keep it, and then place the potted plants in to decide how to position them, before you actually fill it with compost and firm them in. Do remember to place a layer of broken pots along the bottom of the container to provide good drainage. Puncture holes also to allow water to drain away.

I’ll be on BBC Sussex’s radio show on Sunday with Joe Talbot, about 1.40pm, talking about gardens that are opening for the National Garden Scheme in July. This weekend you can get out to see the six gardens comprising the Parish Trail in Herstmonceux, on Sunday. The gardens, including an historic windmill are open from midday to 5pm with entry £6. You can even have a BBQ lunch at one of the gardens and see a vintage car collection in another. The trail includes a brand new garden for 2022, Rewa, which has stunning views across Pevensey marshes with island beds that wrap around the house. Full details at www.ngs.org.uk

A favourite in my garden this week is Trifolium rubens, which is a type of clover. It dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring. Trifoliate blue-green leaves covered in soft hairs, offer a beautiful contrast for the conical clusters of magenta-red flowers, which open from silvery buds in summer. It is very attractive and beneficial to insects including butterflies and bees and looks fabulous in in naturalised planting styles. It’s fast growing and will tolerate sun or partial shade. I’ve got 2 plants growing around my pond area and one can be seen clearly from the kitchen French windows. They never seem to stop flowering and their spires look so majestic.

Read more of Geoff’s garden at on The Argus and at www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk or go and see it for yourself, open until 31st July from 11am to 5pm by arrangement only.