Key plants in the University of Sheffield: Beautifully Stressed Garden

A large, fast-growing, deciduous shrub, to 3m tall, with long, arching shoots and lance-shaped, pointed, green or grey-green leaves up to 25cm long. From summer to autumn it bears dense sprays, 30cm or more long, of small, fragrant flowers in various shades of purple.

‘Inca Gold’ is a perennial to around 75cm tall with greyish-green foliage and upright stems bearing dense clusters of tiny orange to golden-yellow flowers in summer.

A beautiful annual or short lived perennial grass Hordeum jubatum produces long-bristled, pale green seedheads, that are flushed with red or purple, fading to light tan as they age.

This free-flowering perennial has slightly fleshy blue-green leaves on upright stems, topped with sweetly scented, off white flowers with a pinkish tinge from late spring. Cut back after flowering to encourage a second flush.

A perennial forming wide mats to 15cm in height, with narrow, hairy leaves and daisy-type flower-heads 15mm in width, opening white but soon turning pinkish-purple.