Barn End Bed

	Robust and Reliable --- Hypericum also known as St John’s Wort	Hypericum are really tough reliable shrubs that are easy to grow. The Hypericum in this bed are the yellow variety. In early summer look out for masses of single open bright yellow flowers. As the flowers drop in later summer you will spot the lovely glossy berries. Hypericum berries are really long lasting and show bright colour into late Autumn. The berries should not be eaten.  --- Did you know? The name St John’s Wort apparently refers to John the Baptist as the plant is in full bloom in late June at the time of the feast of St John. It was traditionally used in medicine as far back as the Ancient Greeks.
	Robust and Reliable ---Vinca also known as Periwinkle or Creeping Myrtle	Vinca You will need to look low on the ground to spot Vinca. It is known as a ‘groundcover’ plant as it spreads its dark glossy green or green and cream leaves to form excellent ground cover. The solitary flowers are small, violet blue or white.  --- Did you know? Vinca has many folk tales. It was known as the flower of purity and everlasting love. However it was also known as the ‘flower of death’ because it was woven into headbands to be worn by criminals on their way to execution.
	Robust and Reliable --- Saxifrage also known as London Pride	Saxifrage. You will be able to spot Saxifrage if you look for low growing evergreen rosettes of spoon shaped leaves. Some may be tinged with purple. They look like little cabbages. In Early Summer you will also see thin tall stems topped with clusters of teeny white flowers flushed with pink. Saxifrage is great for shady spots and for covering bare soil patches.  --- Did you know? Saxifrage has many common names such as ‘None -so-Pretty, St Patrick’s Cabbage, ‘Prattling Parnell’ and ‘Look up and kiss me’.
	Fantastic Foliage --- Pulmonaria also known as Lungwort or Pulmonaria officinalis	Pulmonaria have wonderful marbled and slightly hairy foliage in dappled and speckled shades of green and cream. They are great for forming ground cover and love moist shady places. In mid Spring Pulmonaria produce beautiful clusters of small trumpet shaped open flowers. These can be purple and pink, white, bright blue or palest opal.  --- Did you know? The flowers of Pulmonaria officinalis, the most common Pulmonaria, change colour as they age, fading from red to pink to mauve then blue. The pink colour signals to pollinators that there is plenty of nectar when the flower is still young.
	Fabulous Fragrance --- Lavenders also known as Lavandula	Lavenders. All Lavenders are loved by bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Look for feathery foliage that is grey green or silvery grey. The foliage and flowers release a beautiful soothing fragrance when gently crushed. In Summer Lavender will be covered in dense spikes of purple blue or mauve flowers, usually buzzing with pollinators. Most Lavenders are very drought tolerant small shrubs perfect for dry shady spots.  --- Did you know? Bees produce Lavender honey and Lavender can be used to flavour baking and ice cream. Distilled Lavender oil in used in aromatherapy and fragrances. Lavender oil is also used as an aid to good sleep.
	Wildlife Welcomer --- Ivy also known as Hedera	Ivy is so easy to grow. It thrives well in shade and also full sun.  The dense growth provides perfect shelter and home for wildlife. Mature Ivy produces nectar rich flowers and berries that provide a late nectar source for pollinators and birds. Ivy will cling and climb up walls or scramble over ground to make excellent cover for unattractive walls or fences.  --- Did you know? Over 140 species of insects and 17 species of birds feed on Ivy (rhs.org.uk/plants/ivy) Ivy has two growth stages, ‘juvenile’ and ‘adult’. Young Ivy sends out long climbing stems and has lobed leaves. Adult Ivy after about 10 years changes to a rounded leaf shape with shrubby growth and abundant flowers and berries. Ivy can be a skin irritant so wear gloves when handling.
	Wildlife Welcomer --- Echinops also known as  Globe Thistle, Blue Hedgehog, Sea Urchin, Blue Globe Thistle, Echinops bannaticus	Echinops are easy to spot. In July and August you will see tall stems topped with globes of bright blue or purply blue spiky flower heads above prickly grey green leaves. The flowers do look like little sea urchins. Butterflies and bees love Echinops. This plant is perfect for full sun and dry soil.    --- Did you know? The tall stems of Echinops flowers also look fantastic in a dried flower arrangement. Echinops love to grow in poor but well drained soil.
	Wildlife Welcomer --- Foxgloves also known as Digitalis	Foxgloves have very tall spires of thimble shaped flowers and low rosettes of floppy downy soft green leaves. The flowers open upwards from the base. It is fun to watch bees crawling in and out of foxglove flowers. If you peer inside the flowers you will see a path of beautiful speckled markings. This ‘path’ acts like a landing strip to guide pollinators towards the pollen deep inside the flowers.  --- Did you know? Digitalis is a drug extracted from the dried leaves of Foxgloves. It acts on the heart muscle. Foxgloves are highly toxic by ingestion. Wear gloves when handling.
	Wildlife Welcomer --- Valerian also known as Centranthus	Valerian flowers from July to October. It has tall fleshy stems and pretty elongated heart shaped  blue grey leaves, topped with small clusters of little red flowers. Our Valerian is deep red (Centranthus rubra) but it also grows in white (Centranthus ruber ‘Albus’)  --- Did you know?  Valerian self -seeds very freely so needs to be kept under control. It will cope with poor dry soil so often is seen growing in cracks in walls.
	Wildlife Welcomer --- Comfrey also known as Symphytum	Comfrey is a rapidly spreading plant that grows in clumps and is often seen growing along riverbanks and in countryside verges. Look for clumps of low growing pointed hairy coarse textured leaves and clusters of bell shaped flowers on drooping stems.  The flowers are really attractive to bees. The flowers are purple, pink or white and occasionally a creamy lemon.  --- Did you know? Comfrey roots and leaves are used in skin creams and ointments to heal bruises and pulled muscles, sprains and strains. It contains a substance that helps new skin cells to grow. Comfrey is toxic to humans and should not be ingested.
	Seasonal Showstopper --- Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’ also known as Cranesbill ‘Johnson’s Blue’	Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’ is a favourite geranium for many gardeners. When you spot the beautiful late Spring/early Summer flowers, dark veined and almost iridescent lavender blue, you will see why. Look for mounds of deep green lobed leaves.  --- Did you know? The name Geranium comes from the Greek noun ‘geranos’ meaning crane. This is because the seed capsule of geraniums has very long points. This looks similar to the bill of a crane bird.
	Seasonal Showstopper --- Geranium macrorrhizum also known as Bigroot or Bigfoot geranium or Balkan Cranesbill.	Geranium macrorrhizum has mounds of beautiful fragrant light green leaves. It flushes with clusters of small saucer shaped pink flowers much loved by bees. It is a really useful plant for dry shady areas and the leaves are great for hiding the dying foliage of bulbs in the Spring.  --- Did you know? It is sometimes called ‘Bigroot’ because it has the thickest most tuberous root of any geranium. The big fat roots, also called rhizomes, store water so that it does not dry out in the Summer.

At this point you may wish to avoid steps and a hill by returning directly to Duns Market Square to visit Wojtek the Bear. To extend your trail to Park Bed walk along South Street with the Post Office Sorting Office on your right. Turn right after the Sorting office, walk past the public toilets and head down the hill until you reach steps leading into the Duns Park. Go down the steps, turn left and follow the path until you reach Park Bed.

Disclaimer

Our plants are grown for ornamental purposes only.  We do not advise touching or ingesting any parts of the plants on the Duns Flowerbed Trail. Many plants can be an irritant or toxic when smelt, ingested or touched. All the ‘Did you know?’ information about alternative plant use is provided for educational interest only.