With spring now well underway, many of us are looking at our outdoor spaces and thinking about giving them some TLC after another long winter.
According to the Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy there are over one million people in Scotland who are regular gardeners.
From communal tenement gardens to expansive private grounds, we love our borders, rockeries, lawns and patios.
It’s hugely satisfying to see a plant you’ve cared for bloom into beautiful flowers, but you need to be careful what you choose and where you place it.
Many of us have shaded areas that see little in the way of sun and - let’s face it - sometimes it feels like Scotland doesn’t get much sun generally.
Luckily there are many plants with colourful flowers that need little in the way of direct sunlight and thrive in the notoriously unpredictable Scottish climate.
Here are 12 of our favourites.
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9. Helleborus
Helleborus are variously called the Winter Rose, Christmas Rose or Lenten Rose (despite not being related to genuine roses). As those names would suggest, this is a plant that flowers during winter when all else seems barren of colour. Their elegant, nodding flowers come dusky pinks, whites, and purples. They thrive in moist and shady Scottish soil. | Canva/Getty Images
10. Aquilegia
Also known as Granny's Bonnet (due to the distinctive sputted petals) and Columbine, Aquilegia is typically found in Northern Hemisphere meadows and woodlands. This hardy perennial flowers in late spring and is easy to grow - self-seeding to spread across shaded borders. | Canva/Getty Images
11. Geranium
Sometimes you just can't beat the classics - and that's certainly the case when it comes to the Geranium. A plant that's practically impossible to kill, they cope well with Scottish 'summers' and are guarateed to provide huge amounts of colour with their violet-blue, saucer-shaped blooms. | Canva/Getty Images
12. Pulmonaria
Pulmonaria, also known by the less-than-attractive name of Lungwort is a great choice if you're looking for a plant to flower in early spring, providing some much-needed colour. Originally from mainland Europe and Europe, it has spotted, silvered leaves and clusters of pink, purple, or blue flowers. It thrives in cool, damp shade, offering reliable colour and foliage contrast in woodland-style plantings. | Canva/Getty Images