A very attractive plant in the garden at the moment is Polygonatum multiflorum, Solomon’s seal with soft green arching stems. Shortly the plant will produce small tubular white flowers along length of the stem followed by black fruit which, like all parts of the plant are poisonous. They grow well in woodland areas in light shade. There are many species of Polygonatum providing good garden plants, most growing to around 30 cms except for P. hookeri, one of the smallest just making 10 cms in height although worth having as it produces pink flowers rather than the usual white. At the other end of the scale P. hirtum can reach 1.2 metres and will have the normal white flowers. The plants spread by underground rhizomes and after a few years can make good -sized clumps that can be easily divided to grow new plants.

Last year my plants were attracted and badly defoliated by pale grey caterpillars of the Solomon’s seal sawfly although the plants survived and have grown this spring with even more vigour producing many new shoots. The adult sawfly lays her eggs in the stems of the plants and in late spring the caterpillars emerge to feed on the plants. It is too early for any damage to occur and I will be watching closely from around the end of May to pick off any that I see.