5 low-maintenance plants that will flourish in the trickiest spots in your garden with almost no effort – they thrive on neglect and don't mind shady corners

Elegant hellebores growing in a garden.

We like these kinds of plants – those that love bad soil, shade and neglect! If you're new to gardening and the three above are all you have, it's a matter of finding out what works. We can't all be blessed with gardens that all plants love, and improving your soil can take time.

'If you’ve got a shady spot with poor soil and not much time to spare, the secret is to choose plants that are already happy in those conditions,' says Julian Palphramand, head of plants, British Garden Centres.