Digitalis ferruginea ‘Gigantea’ is an absolutely stunning foxglove! Plants produce tall spires of fantastically beautiful, tan coloured flowers; each individual bloom is enhanced by a gorgeous rusty coloured veining. The whole effect of a Digitalis ferruginea ‘Gigantea’ plant in bloom is truly breathtaking. I remember the first time I saw these foxgloves in flower during a garden visit, I instantly knew that I simply had to grow these plants in my own garden and promptly ordered some seeds!
Primula vulgaris are low growing, perennials that form basal rosette shaped plants, made up of beautifully textured, wrinkled, obovate leaves. These small plants are generally known as primroses. Primula vulgaris are popular wild flowers; they’re often found growing in gardens, the countryside, and in urban areas across Europe. Primroses are hardy; plants will happily survive temperatures down as low as -20C (-4F), and probably lower.
Alpine strawberries or wild strawberries (also known by their botanical name Fragaria vesca) are small, low growing, plants that trail along the ground, spreading via runners; these pretty little plants can grow up to around 15cm (6 inches) tall. I adore alpine strawberries! These dainty little plants are utterly charming, with attractive leaves, delightful white flowers, and the delicious red strawberries they produce.
Skirret (also known by the botanical name Sium sisarum) is a perennial root vegetable, which enjoyed great popularity in the medieval and Tudor periods, but sadly is rarely grown nowadays. I expect Skirret’s fall from favour is due to this vegetable producing thinner roots than carrots and parsnips and therefore being far more fiddly and difficult to clean and prepare than these more popular root vegetables.
Grapevines (also known by their botanical name Vitis vinifera) are decorative climbing plants that produce delicious grapes and handsome leaves. These wonderful plants can be very productive. Grapevines are versatile plants; a range of varieties are available, you’ll find grapevines that are suited to growing outdoors in gardens and allotments, or types that favour the improved growing conditions found inside conservatories, porches, glasshouses, and polytunnels.
Corn salad ‘Medallion’ (Valerianella locusta) is a super easy to grow salad plant! This is an annual plant that produces edible green, oval rounded leaves, with a subtle mild flavour.
I’ve grown corn salad ‘Medallion’ from seed in a really shaded position inside my Vegepod. My plants have thrived, despite the fact that they were grown in such challenging growing conditions – in deep shade.
Rhinanthus minor (often called Yellow Rattle because the ripe seeds rattle inside their seed pods) is a hardy annual wildflower with handsome yellow flowers that are held hostage by pumped up, yet slightly flattened, calyxes, each one flanked by a toothed green leaf. Plants grow in meadows, grasslands, and prairies, flowering during the summer moths. This is a widespread species that can be found in many European countries.
Origanum onites is one of my favourite plants; its a pretty little thing with a long flowering period; plants bloom over the summer months. This is a superb plant for a wildlife garden. Origanum onites plants produce an abundance of these sweet, dainty flowers that are adored by bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and moths. Commonly known as marjoram, Origanum onites is a culinary and medicinal herb with aromatic leaves that will enhance a wide variety of culinary dishes.
Echium vulgare is a hardy biennial with hairy stems; plants produce pretty pink buds, which open as sky-blue coloured flowers. This is a superb plant for a wildlife garden, as whilst it’s blooming, Echium vulgare is a veritable bee magnet!
This is a UK native plant that can also be found growing naturally in the wild in other European countries. Echium vulgare thrives in areas that are out in the open and warmed by the sunshine.
Salsola soda is a vegetable that’s also known by many common names, including: agretti, roscano, saltwort, Russian thistle, Friar’s beard, Monk’s beard, Barba di Frate, or barilla plant. Plants have a grassy appearance, with stems of needle like leaves, that grow up to around 60cm (2ft) tall, depending on your plant’s growing conditions. This is a mild but delicious tasting vegetable that adds a freshness, which softly and subtly enhances stir fries, risottos, and many other dishes.
Leucanthemum vulgare is commonly known as the Ox-eye Daisy; it’s one of my favourite garden plants. This hardy perennial plant is native to Europe and Asia, where it flourishes in meadows, banks, roadsides, and on areas of waste ground. Leucanthemum vulgare produces large, single daises with golden centres, which are surrounded by rays of white petals. This is a super plant to grow to encourage wildlife, it’s beneficial to bees, butterflies, hoverflies, beetles, and a great many other insects, which in turn will draw birds and a wider range of wildlife into the area.
You can’t miss Anthemis tinctoria when it’s in flower, as these glowing, sunny yellow daisies really stand out across the garden. Anthemis tinctoria is commonly known as Dyer’s Chamomile, as the flowers and stems of this plant can be used to dye fabrics and other materials. Plants flower in the summer time. In the UK, Anthemis tinctoria usually blooms during June, July, and August.
I love Blechnum spicant, it’s such a handsome, charming little fern, with its narrow, dark green coloured pinnate fronds. Depending on this fern’s particular stage of growth, Blechnum spicant may form low growing rosettes with the sterile fronds leaning out horizontally, or if the fertile fronds are more predominantly growing, plants will appear as more upright and erect in their habit.
Lychnis flos-cuculi is an utterly charming plant. This hardy, herbaceous perennial, is a UK wild flower, which is commonly known as ‘Ragged Robin’ – a name that references this plant’s star shaped, deeply cut flowers. Ideally suited to growing in a wet, water meadow, a damp pasture, or a bog garden, Lychnis flos-cuculi is the perfect choice of plant to grow alongside a pond or in any soil or area of ground where the soil is always wet and prone to flooding.
Orlaya grandiflora is a gorgeous plant! Looking like a rather glamorous cross between cow parsley and a lace cap Hydrangea, Orlaya grandiflora makes a great addition to the garden.
I love Orlaya grandiflora for so many reasons: it looks wonderful in the garden, befitting meadow or prairie plantings, cottage gardens; suiting modern or traditional styles. It makes a beautiful cut flower and encourages hoverflies, bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects, into the garden.
Valeriana officinalis is a herb, known for its relaxing properties – it’s more commonly known as Valerian. Looking rather like a pale pink flowered Verbena bonariensis, Valeriana officinalis produces branching stems that hold panicles of tiny star shaped flowers, in the palest shade of dusky pink. This attractive plant is a magnet for bees and butterflies.
Growing to around Valeriana officinalis 1.5m (5ft) tall, Valerian produces scented flowers, leaves, stems, and roots.
Geranium phaeum is a hardy perennial plant that produces dark maroon coloured flowers, which provide valuable food for bees and butterflies. Also known as the dusky cranesbill – this plant’s common name is quite apt, as this Geranium’s flowers really are a dusky colour. Remove flowering stems as they fade, to encourage your plant into a longer flowering season.
Geranium phaeum grows to 80cm (2.6ft) tall, the leaves have dark markings which match rather nicely with its flowers.
Anthriscus sylvestris is a biennial or short lived herbaceous perennial plant, which is more commonly known as cow parsley – in the UK, at least anyway – where Anthriscus sylvestris grows as a wildflower, along roadsides, hedgerows, in grasslands and meadows.
Flowering in late spring, in May, Anthriscus sylvestris is a popular plant with bees, hoverflies, and other pollinating insects
Easily grown from seed, sown in autumn or springtime, Anthriscus sylvestris flourishes in any well-drained soil.
Gooseberries (also known by their botanical name of Ribes uva-crispa) are easily grown, deciduous, thorny shrubs that produces delicious tasting fruit, in summertime. The harvest time for gooseberries varies from June to August, depending on the particular gooseberry cultivar being grown, the planting location, and the weather.
These fruits will grow in almost any soil; although if your soil tends to be waterlogged gooseberries won’t be happy.
Carrots, also known by their botanical name of Daucus carota, are an easy to grow, delicious root vegetable. There are a wide range of carrot cultivars available for gardeners to grow, from the more regularly seen orange coloured carrots, to red, purple, white, or yellow coloured carrots. I enjoy the subtle differences in the taste and texture of the carrots of each colour variation.
