Plant of the week: Hypericum

For long-lasting and cheery colour for minimal effort, it’s hard to better a Hypericum, also known as St John’s Wort and one of the oldest and best-loved shrubs in the garden. Hypericum is an ancient and revered medicinal herb - it’s used to treat depression and as an anti-inflammatory – but it’s earned a place in ornamental gardens, too. It's big, buttercup-yellow flowers are followed by brilliant red-orange autumn colour and fat, pinkish-orange berries. Plant it anywhere in the garden, even in shade, and give it a haircut in spring to keep growth neat and compact. Your reward is an endless sunny colour for years to come.