Light the lampwick

IF you plant phlomis (also known as Jerusalem sage or lampwick), guaranteed visitor after visitor will ask what it is. These imposing perennials and shrubs, which produce rings of flowers on rigid, tall stems, are so rarely grown that most people are unfamiliar with them. Thankfully, that is changing. Due to the growing trend for drought-resistant gravel gardens, these stalwarts – which hail from the stony maquis of the Mediterranean – are becoming more widely available.

Ideal for ground cover

f your garden conditions suit phlomis, they are worth growing. Not only are they resilient, low-maintenance plants, but they also provide ground cover and prevent weeds by being allelopathic (they release chemicals). They look great, too, creating vertical structure in the border. They bloom in dense