A dense evergreen shrub or tree, sweet bay responds well to clipping and shaping and is often seen grown as a ‘standard’ (clipped into a lollipop shape) or as a cone.

It can be grown in a pot or in the ground and is commonly used to flank a front door. Left to grow freely in the ground, it will eventually form a small tree of up to 12m. Its flowers are fairly inconspicuous and are followed by black berries.

There is a golden-leaved type (Laurus nobilis ‘Aurea’) which looks wonderful in spring but can look scorched and bleached in the summer sun so needs careful positioning. The aromatic leaves are used as a flavouring in cooking. Pick off as required.

Planting – Plant young or pre-trained specimens in pots or borders any time except during freezing weather. It is really only advisable to use them by a door that faces south or west and where cold winds will not harm them.

Soil and position – Another Mediterranean plant, it is best grown in full sun although it tolerates partial shade. It requires shelter from cold, drying winds so don’t plant it in a windy corner, a warm sunny wall suits it well. It likes fertile (food rich) soil and should not be planted in boggy soil.

Care – this plant is a little tender so if you live in a cold area, it may be worth wrapping it up in horticultural fleece or hessian sacking during very cold periods, particularly if you have splashed out on an expensive pre-trained standard.

Alternatively, if yours is in a pot you could move it into a cool greenhouse during the winter. Cut off misplaced shoots in late winter or early spring when the plant is dormant. Clip over topiary specimens twice during the summer to maintain their shape.