The nights are drawing in, the leaves are dropping and the colour out there is amazing. I’ve been out in my garden replacing the spent summer lovelies in my pots with the sweetest little violas - purple faces with a touch of white and yellow - which I know will make me smile each time I pass them.

I’m not a mega gardener by any means. Despite my passion for gardening I don’t like to use a spade very much and my veg patch is a strictly no-dig zone a la Charles Dowding. However I make the most of the seasons by consciously including plants that capture the changes and lift my spirits.

Banks of pots around my front and back doors are planted with a permanent framework of shrubs and evergreen perennials and give tremendous pleasure. I choose plants with interesting and contrasting foliage that look good together and can be moved around as I wish: ferns, box balls, Hellebores, Bergenia (choose the ones that go a wonderful red in winter), Nandina domestica (Sacred Bamboo - gorgeous with reddish new leaves and stupendous red berries all winter) plus small grasses like Carex which are evergreen. I also currently love Skimmia' ‘Kew Green’ which I bought on impulse the other day.

I love to mix the plants in my pots - not everyone does - some people prefer to have one plant per pot and then associate them together - do whatever you prefer - there’s no right way - isn’t that one of the wonderful things about gardening?

I add pretties in the gaps (for winter I generally use violas as they make me smile but you could also go with Cyclamen, heather or those brightly coloured cabbages which are a bit like marmite - not everyone’s cup of tea) and then vary them seasonally as needed to keep things fresh and fun.

The violas are replacing some gorgeous hostas that have had their moment for this year. I haven’t thrown them away though - I’ve done an experiment and just planted the violas as close as I can without removing them. I’m hoping they will just pop up again in spring and that the violas, which are a little bit proud of the soil, will be fine too…

It’s very easy to get going with pots if you don’t already have some - just pop into your local garden centre and see what they’ve got that excites you or perhaps go online to www.crocus.co.uk and www.sarahraven.com which both have fabulously inspiring and informative websites; I always feel like I’m in a sweetshop when I’m looking at Sarah’s choices and particularly love her ideas.

She’s also fantastically scientific about ensuring that whatever variety of plant she chooses it will be a good ‘doer’ and tests everything she sells herself in the garden at Perch Hill. She makes it all very accessible so do have a look. (This is not a collaboration - I just really like what both these companies do). So, even if the rest of your garden isn’t how you’d like it to be, give yourself a treat and do something by your entrance - it will make all the difference as you pass by on a cold, dark day in winter to see those little faces smiling at you!

Containers to lift your heart in winter