Plant of the week

Berberis darwinii: This isn’t to everyone’s taste but it does help brighten up dark days in spring. It’s not demanding – sun or partial shade, most soils – and it can look after itself. Unlike some of its more aggressive cousins, this berberis rarely grows to be more than eight feet tall and it can be grown as a specimen shrub, a hedge or even a small tree. The foliage is like small holly leaves but it’s the vivid flowers which make it so attractive. It can be pruned, but wear gloves to protect your hands.