Plant hardy plumbago in well-drained soil in full sun or light shade, ideally in a sheltered spot that stays reasonably warm. It prefers neutral to slightly alkaline soils and copes well with dry conditions once established. In early to mid-spring, cut back the previous year’s flowered shoots to around 2.5cm (1in) above the old growth to tidy the plant and encourage fresh new stems.

After pruning, apply a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted compost or manure around the base to conserve moisture and improve soil structure. It’s a good ground cover for sunny borders, under shrubs or in gravel gardens, and offers rich autumn colour, as a bonus, as leaves turn red before dying back.