If you're looking for a native shrub that provides visual drama all year round, the Wild Rose is worth a look. It has an upright habit with soft grey-green leaves and showy flowers between late autumn and spring. The flowers dangle like little pom-poms and consist of a central cluster of red stamens surrounded by soft, papery, pinkish-red bracts.

One item you're almost guaranteed to see out on hard rubbish day is a sad ironing board. I inherited one with a crumbling top and a burnt cover, so I turned it into a height-adjustable plant bench for my balcony using reclaimed pallet wood.

Pineapple Sage is one of those plants that really earns its place in the garden. Its soft, lime green leaves smell just like fresh pineapple and are edible. And in autumn, it bursts into bloom with brilliant scarlet-red flowers that insects and birds love.

The African Geranium is a wonderful low-maintenance plant that offers year-round foliage interest with a pop of jewel-toned colour.

This is my favourite salvia and one of my favourite perennials, being long-flowering from late summer through to winter and easy to maintain with gorgeous colour.