Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' RHS AGM 1 litre)

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ is a shade-garden star with foliage so striking it practically glows. Forming neat mounds around 30–40 cm tall, it sports large, heart-shaped leaves heavily frosted in silver, with a delicate lacework of dark green veins — as if winter itself had taken up botanical illustration.

In mid-spring, it sends up airy sprays of bright blue, forget-me-not–like flowers, creating a lovely contrast above the shimmering foliage. It looks effortlessly elegant even when doing absolutely nothing, which is a talent many plants (and people) aspire to.

It thrives in partial to full shade, preferring moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. Once established, it’s surprisingly tough and can handle short dry spells, though a mulch and a little extra moisture keep it happiest.

Interesting fact: ‘Jack Frost’ is so admired for its foliage that it won the RHS Award of Garden Merit, proving that sometimes the leaves really do steal the show.