Just like humans, plants that live in built up areas, cities and industrial locations can be susceptible to pollution. This can be a particular consideration if your garden backs on to a main road or if there are polluting factories nearby. Thankfully, there are some plants that stand up best against the smog and still find a way to photosynthesise and avoid fungal diseases, even in these more challenging situations. Our top tip is not to water the leaves of plants that are coated in pollutants, salts and grime, always water from the base instead. It will help your plants if, every so often, you can clean them up by wiping the grime or dirt off – this is easiest to do when it is raining. Some of our favourite plants that will thrive in polluted areas are buddleia, camellia, honeysuckle, maidenhair tree, berberis and chaenomeles.