Key plants in The MOROTO no IE Garden

Acers, commonly known as maples, are mainly deciduous trees or shrubs, valued for their attractive and distictive foliage. Many produce vibrant autumnn colour and some have ornamental stems and bark. Japanese maples are more compact, often shrub-like trees, suitable for even the smallest of gardens and for growing in containers.

A slightly tender clump-forming evergreen perennial to 60cm in height, with large, slightly fleshy, glossy rich green, kidney-shaped leaves. Branched clusters of daisy-like bright yellow flowers 4cm across are borne in late autumn and early winter.

Pinus can be shrubs or large, evergreen trees, some species with attractive bark, developing an irregular outline with age and bearing long needle-like leaves in bundles of 2, 3 or 5; conspicuous cones may fall or remain on the tree for years.

Velvety, violet flowers with veined yellow throats among bright green, slender, strappy leaves. Like all Siberian flag irises, this is a clump forming plant that needs space to spread out and prefers a moist, neutral to slightly acid soil in sun or partial shade.

There are over 600 species of moss in the UK, some of which are endangered. Mosses may form large, coarse, loose, green or yellowish-green tufts, densely matted tufts, or compact green cushions.