Key plants in The RHS Chelsea Repurposed garden

The planting features trees and grasses interspersed with local wildflowers

Arbutus Unedo

Arbutus is a spreading, shrubby tree with shredding brown bark and glossy bright green leaves. It is attractive in autumn when the white flowers, often tinged pink, are produced and the fruit from last year are turning red. The tree gets its name from the fruit, which look like strawberries but sadly don't taste like them. 

Brachypodium pinnatum

This plant will provide nectar and pollen for bees and the many other types of pollinating insects.

© Nicolas Weghaupt

Galium verum

A low, scrambling, carpeting perennial with stems to 1.2m long, often rooting where they touch the ground, and bearing whorled linear green leaves, and terminal panicles of tiny 4-lobed yellow flowers in mid and late summer, scented of hay when dried.

Origanum vulgare

A bushy, woody-based, aromatic perennial sub-shrub with upright stems, 20-80cm tall with small, opposite leaves. Oval, dark-green leaves are approximately 3cm long. Bears panicle-like, loose clusters of small, 4mm long tubular pink flowers in summer and early autumn. The flowers are loved by bees and pollinators and the leaves are a popular culinary herb.

Brizia media

A tufted semi-evergreen grass with purplish tinted, blue-green leaves. Throughout summer, locket-shaped, green-purple flowers, which fade to buff, hang from wiry branches. Their flowers are excellent for drying.

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.