If you’re staying at home for the December holidays, you’ll want your garden and home to look at its best for visiting family and friends. Fill your garden beds with plants in festive shades of red, white and green and pot up a few new plants to use as table centerpieces.

Here are some ideas to get you inspired:

Petunias are available in attractive red and white varieties and they love the hot, dry weather that we typically experience in December. Plant them in hanging baskets and window boxes where they’ll receive lots of sun.

Red salvia (salvia splendens) produces attractive upright flower cones that grow well in garden beds with full sun or light shade.

Mandevilla ‘Sundaville Red’ bears red trumpet-like flowers which grow well in outdoor pots, where they will cascade over the edges. Plant them on your patio or around your swimming pool.

Verbenas are available in red varieties, some of which make pretty white centres. They are excellent bedding fillers for sunny spots in your garden.

Roses in deep red will look beautiful on your Christmas table. Plant your own bushes so that you’ll have plenty of stems to choose from in December. Look out for “Don Juan”, “Mr Lincoln”, “Five Roses” and “Archbishop Desmond Tutu”.

Chilli plants can look very attractive when grown on sunny windowsills. Their glossy red fruits and green foliage add the perfect festive touch to your herb collection.