Times Eureka Garden with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

By garden designer Marcus Barnett. The Times Eureka Garden, in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, aims to showcase the significance of plants to science and society.

The species chosen demonstrate both beauty and utility and many have medicinal, commercial, and industrial uses, emphasising the invaluable role plants play in our everyday lives.

Planting is divided into three main types. First, there is a light-filtering canopy of Pinus sylvestris and Betula doorenbos. These trees also provide scale and a counterpoint to the central timber structure. Secondly, the loosely clipped Taxus boundary hedge introduces form and height. Lastly, texture and colour are provided by small shrubs and perennial planting which is informal in style to create movement and light and shadow. Many of the plants used will have benefits and uses to society, some of which are described below.

The plants that feature in the garden have been chosen according to both their aesthetic nature and their contribution to society. These include Foxgloves (DIGITALIS x mertonensis), which can be used in the treatment for cardiac disease, and Geraniums (GERANIUM sanguineum), often used as a diuretic and to treat kidney complaints. Other plants that will be used are Salvias (SALVIA blancoana), which is used as a treatment for diseases of the Central Nervous System, and Roses (ROSA webbiana), commonly used by the cosmetics industry and by drinks manufacturers.

Colours will range from greens to soft pinks and purples with subtle reds and pale whites, punctuated by crisp blues and yellows.

Plants list     

Acanthus mollis
Achillea 'Moonshine'
Alchemilla mollis
Allium bulgaricum
Angelica archangelica
Aquilegia v. 'Blue Barlow'
Aquilegia v. 'Ruby Port'
Aquilegia v. 'Nora Barlow'
Astrantia 'Gill Richardson Group'
Astrantia major
Bergenia 'Baby Doll'
Camassia semi plena
Campanula lactiflora
Centaurea montana 'Alba'
Centaurea montana
Centranthus ruber 'Albus'
Cirsium r. 'Atropurpureum'
Dianthus carthusianorum
Digitalis purpurea albiflora
Digitalis x mertonensis
Doronicum orientale magnificum
Dryopteris 'Filix-mas'
Dryopteris 'wallichiana'
Epimedium 'Frohnleiten'
Epimedium 'Rubrum'
Eryngium agavifolium
Eryngium bourgatii
Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'
Euphorbia robbiae
Euphorbia wallichii
Filipendula rubra 'Venusta'
Filipendula 'Aurea'
Foeniculum vulgare
Geranium 'Gravetye'
Geranium 'Brookside'
Geranium phaeum 'Samobor'
Geranium sanguineum
Geranium sylvaticum 'Album'
Geranium sylvaticum 'Mayflower'
Geranium 'Rosenlicht'
Helleborus orientalis white
Helleborus x sternii
Heuchera 'Green Spice'
Iris 'Action Front'
Iris 'White City'
Iris germanica Lemon Ice
Iris germanica Jane Phillips
Iris germanica Langport Wren
Iris sibirica Dreaming Yellow
Iris sibirica Sparkling Rose
Knautia macedonica
Knautia 'Mars Midget'
Lamium 'Chequers'
Lathyrus vernus
Lavandula 'Munstead'
Lychnis 'White Robin'
Lysimachia firecracker
Melissa officinalis 'Aurea'
Milium effusum 'Aureum'
Nepeta longipes
Nepeta subsessilis
Origanum 'Thumble's Variety'
Paeonia Jan Van Leeuwen
Persicaria affinis 'Darjeeling Red'
Polemonium 'Bressingham Purple'
Primula beesiana
Primula bulleyana
Salvia blancoana
Salvia 'Caradonna'
Salvia schneehugel
Santolina 'Edward Bowles'
Verbascum 'Arctic Summer'
Verbascum spica
Verbascum phoeniceum 'Violetta'
Deschampsia cespitosa

Shrubs
Myrtus communis
Pittosporum tobira
Rosmarinus officinalis
Rosa canina
Rosa glauca
Sambucus nigra
Taxus baccata
Viburnum opulus
Viburnum plicatum 'Watanabe'

Trees
Betula utilis 'Doorenbos'
Pinus sylvestris