THESE wonderful evergreens may have fallen out of favour in the past because of their over-exposure, but they are fantastic at this time of year when everything else is dull and dingy. I love the pink hues of varieties such as Springwood Pink in winter tubs alongside variegated ivy and small, vertical conifers.

Plant them closely in a border for ground cover, or as a winter feature in rockeries and scree beds, and try other shades of mauves and whites if you want to create a whole bed of heather for virtually no maintenance.

Heather should be planted in welldrained soil with plenty of organic matter, preferably in full sun. They prefer acid soil. Give them a trim after flowering but avoid cutting into old wood, because they won’t recover from that. Other good types include King George and Vivellii, which has bronze-tinted foliage and purple flowers.