Myrtus communis subsp. tarentina

This Myrtle is a gorgeous evergreen shrub with glossy, pointed dark green leaves and pretty explosions of fragrant creamy white flowers covering the stems throughout summer.

It is an excellent alternative to box, clipping beautifully into balls and other loose topiary shapes.

Now I’ve done the basics, let me tell you why I LOVE this Myrtle so much. Myrtle has long been known as the herb of love, with its history stretching all the way back to the Ancient Greeks. Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria a sprig of Myrtle before they married, and descendants of that original plant can still be seen growing at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight today.

Even before I knew any of this, my mother cut an entire bush of Myrtle from her garden a few days before Mike and I got married. She strung it over the porch of our local church in an arch and was stunning on our wedding day. Luckily it was covered in flowers and smelt absolutely divine. I have a cutting of this in my garden and will pass this on to my children when they get married. 

To add to this the berries are also edible! They aren’t the best raw, but they can be used a bit like sloe's to make liqueur, dried and paired with rosemary and garlic for roasted meats (a bit like you would juniper berries) or made in to jam!

Leaf colour: Green

Type: Evergreen

Aspect: Full sun

Soil type: Sand, chalk or loam

Pot size: 7.5 litre

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