Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Stardust’

Yet another super evergreen from New Zealand, growing steadily into a large glossy shrub or small tree with a neat and compact silhouette. Clothed very densely in small jagged-edged dark green leaves the overall form is upright, columnar and softly rounded with a medium texture. In July and August you’ll be treated to masses and masses of honey-scented white flowers that will smother the whole thing. A very appropriately-named plant, as on ‘Stardust’ these luminous blooms look especially enchanting against the dark and glossy foliage: galaxies of them scattered over their vaulted green canopies.

Reaching around 3 metres over 10 years or so, this is not a demanding plant to grow. Prune it if you like, but do wait until flowering is over before you have a chop. As well as being wildlife-friendly (any dense evergreen will be a magnet for nesting hedgerow birds), this plant is good for bringing some height and evergreen architecture into sunny borders where it will relish the cosy shelter of a mixed planting of shrubs and small trees. It’s especially suited to proper sun-trap locations like courtyards, or grown up against a snug wall where you can admire the lovely flowers with their impossibly delicate pink stamens as you pass. Gorgeous.

Best in sun, but will take dappled shade as long as it’s out of the stiffer kind of cold winds. It’s not fussy about soil be it sand, chalk or loam, as long as it’s moist and well-drained.