Eileen Jolly from Clayton-le-Woods shares the secrets of her flora-packed back garden which provides a splash of colour throughout the year . . .

DESCRIBE YOUR GARDEN

It is a patio with so many different types of plants and flowers. I live on the bottom floor flat and maintain this by myself. I am nearly 80 and I would quite like somebody to help me, I have quite a lot of illnesses, although caring for the garden keeps me going. The plants and the flowers are as follows; nasturtiums, sweet peas, geraniums, perennials, lobelia, godetias, osteospernums, hebes, a giant hosta and in places other hostas, fern, blue grass, lillies, alliums and astilbes. They are all in pots and tubs. It’s very pretty; there are a few solar lights dotted around and there are more geraniums on the fence.

WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR YOUR GARDEN?

When it gets to October, I will get somebody to come and pull them all up for me and will then replant for the next season. There will be daffodils, tulips and crocuses. The pots are seasonal so that’s how I work, the bed plants will come back in the summer. The growers have always told me that you should never plant the bedding plants until after May 23. It’s the time when the frost is supposed to be completely finished.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO GARDENING?

I have liked gardens since the age of seven and the love has been there all the time. As a child we had a back yard and when I had any pocket money, I would go and buy marigolds instead of sweets or anything else. I used to go to Wigan Market and get the plants or seeds like radishes. I was fascinated with flowers and just liked to keep the yard tidy.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FEATURE AND WHY?

I have got some nice little porcelain mushrooms and a lot of large seashells that have come from Tunisia and Morocco. I bought a duck and it looks nice, although it had one eye missing, so I bought a button from the market and stuck it on and that’s convincing. The tubs are nice and colourful.

HOW MUCH DO YOU SPEND ON YOUR GARDEN?

It can be an expensive hobby, but because I spend on it seasonally, it’s worth it.

WHY DO YOU ENJOY GARDENING?

I bought this flat as a retirement home and it’s nice and easy for me to manage. Next to me there’s some flat grassed-land in the communal garden.

There are trees surrounding and it’s very nice. I have had big gardens in the past and this is easy for me now. I like to sit outside with friends and enjoy the work that I have done. Friends are very interested, people come and sit inside the house, looking into the garden and they really enjoy it. It pleases everybody.

HAVE YOU SUFFERED ANY GARDENING DISASTERS?

Not really. If you know what you are doing then you don’t have any. Work with the seasons and you will be OK.

YOUR TOP GARDENING TIP

I always help people with their gardens, they ask me for advice. This year, my garden seems to be exceptional; it must be because of the extra sun we have had, but it has been a great gardening season. I would say keep the plants well hydrated and if you are going away, make sure somebody waters them for you. Also, I go out each morning and remove the dead heads – this helps them to grow well.