Hypericum x inodorum ‘Elstead’

WITH this beautiful St John’s Wort, you get two great shows for the price of one. A crossbreed of garden origin, this medium-sized shrub has attractive oblong leaves and, from mid-summer to early autumn, clusters of starry yellow flowers 2.5 cm across with showy stamens (above). Then, groups of oval fruits form and turn dark-cherry maroon as they mature. Stems bearing berries are lovely in situ, but are also extremely useful for floral decoration.