JO’S FAVOURITE ‘NATURAL’ PLANTS

Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ Versatile and easy. Long season and a good foil for other plants. Grows to 1.8m tall, slowly spreading. Full sun is vital.

Viburnum opulus The native guelder rose is a dependable native shrub with white flowers and red berries. Grows to 4m. A classic plant of limestone soils, it in fact thrives in a wide range of gardens.

Sanguisorba officinalis ‘Tanna’ A short (40cm) perennial I value for its foliage. It starts early, wears well and hides the edge of the lawn, saving us work. Average to wet conditions in sun. Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn is very useful for clipped shapes, although cutting twice a year is vital. Potentially grows to 5m. Tolerates a wide range of conditions, including extreme exposure.

Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Alba’ Light and fine, this works well in traditional borders. Grows to 1.2m, spreading to form dense clumps, and flowering from August to October. Fertile soil.

Cornus alba A sprawling shrub with vibrant red stems in winter. Grows to 2.5m high. Thrives in all soils, but mainly moist and even wet ones.