Key plants in the Bowel Research UK Microbiome Garden

Persicaria bistorta boasts pale pink bottle-brush flowers on leafless stalks, creating an airy meadow aesthetic as they gently float above the planting. While commonly grown for its ornamental value in gardens, it remains a hidden ingredient, with few recognising its extensive history as a green vegetable in the UK.

Camassia provides contrast with its vivid blue flower spikes and weaves into the edible narrative of the garden with its bulbs, which have been used by ingenious North American people for generations.

(Pictured: Camassia leichtlinii subsp. suksdorfii)

Lupin luteus has been chosen for its long history of use by people for food, its benefit to the human microbiome when consumed, and its beautiful yellow flowers.

Sesleria autumnalis offers a green blanket at this time of the year. Covering the ground and acting as the glue that knits the whole composition together.

Silene vulgaris is selected as a filler plant. Its habit is to weave around plants and offers beautiful white oval flowers. With leaves that can be eaten in salads and taste like pea shoots.