Ask John Negus John has been answering reader queries for 50 years
What plants are good for wildlife and us?
Q We are slowly turning our garden into somewhere that we, and the surrounding wildlife, are happy to spend time in. Could you suggest some wildlife-friendly, shallow-rooted evergreens and perennials that would work against a warm south-facing wall.
Lucy Duffy, Telford, Shropshire
A I suggest that you plant the following, which will attract birds and insects, including butterflies:
Small flowering and berrying shrubs:
Border perennials:
Growing pot lilies
Q Will lilies grow well in pots? Marcus Dowling, via email
A Asiatic lilies are among the easiest to grow and the earliest to flower. For the best results in a container, place a layer of crocks in the base and use a mix of loam-based John Innes No3 and multi-purpose compost. Add some granular feed such as Growmore, as lilies are hungry plants.
Plant the bulbs at two-three times their own depth and 2in (5cm) apart, pointy end upwards. Cover with compost to within 1in (2½cm) of the rim of the pot and water. Keep the compost damp and
