Green-fingered Bankies hoping to fill their plots with vibrant colour this summer are being advised to choose carefully when buying plants.

The warning has come from experts who are worried about non-native plants “escaping” from gardens and getting a foothold in the countryside.

When these “aliens” become established they can threaten naturally-occurring plants.

Here are some top tips from The Invasive Weed Control Group about the range of non-native plants in the UK and how to help tackle their spread.

First step - know your plants. Many plants available in garden centres and nurseries are listed as “Invasive Species” under Schedule 9 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

This doesn’t make it illegal to have them in your garden, but it does mean you should prevent them spreading to “the wild”. This includes commonly found plants like Monbretia and Japanese Rose.

Plant wisely. Many of today’s invasive species, including some bamboos and Giant Rhubarb, are garden ornamentals “gone wild” so, a bit of research before choosing what to plant and where to plant it is a good idea.

Some popular plants spread rapidly via underground rhizomes or bulbils so once they are planted you’ll need to keep them in check to stop them “taking over” plus you need to make sure they don’t spread to your neighbour’s garden.

In the case of Japanese knotweed there is separate legislation relating to the potential nuisance which may be caused by ‘escaping’ plants and this has resulted in prosecutions.

Check your soil after digging.

When you are digging-over flower beds containing invasive plants like Variegated Yellow Archangel or Few-flowered Leek don’t put the soil in your green bin or compost heap until you have carefully removed the propagules (the parts of plants which give rise to new plants).

Otherwise you could be unwittingly spreading a regulated species.