Laurus nobilis – Ball (Common Bay)

The Laurus nobilis Family

A tree of antiquity, of emperors and conquerors and victors crowned with laurel leaves, of pots framing doorways, of kitchen gardens and cooks. Beautiful, fragrant, familiar and beloved. Simple shaped bright green young leaves turning dark as they mature. Yellow spring flowers and black seedy berries. Can be left wild as a large shrub or clipped, pruned and shaped. The very familiar kitchen or ‘Common’ Bay tree, here boulderised into tight deep green boules. A classic aromatic with a lovely texture we’d say was ‘medium’. The leaves are shiny and tough yet have a delicate ellipse shape, and their glossiness means they never look gloomy or heavily dense. A great addition to any garden: their forms are architectural and sculptural without ever looking neurotic or self-consciously contrived. Fab for shape and structure and bringing just a touch of Classical formality to a garden design, much fun could be had playing with height and combining these with their standard and half-standard siblings to create landscapes full of character. Spheres like these contrast gorgeously with spikes and plume-shapes: off the top of our heads let’s say any fan palm (Trachycarpus or Chamaerops) and Italian cypress for a striking collection of eye catching shapes. These do well in pots, too, and look especially yummy, melon-balled as they are, in sturdy terracotta urns.