Ligustrum ovalifolium 'Aureum' 9cm pot x3

The glossy leaves are edged in golden-yellow and stay on the plants all year, except during periods of extreme heat or cold - so Aureum is a semi evergreen in nature although soon bounces back to lush growth in the spring, coming back bigger and bushier.

When plants are allowed to grow untrimmed, they produce pretty creamy clusters of fragrant flowers in summer as an added bonus, which are attractive to butterflies and birds and these are followed by glossy black berries.

The densely packed, small leaves mean that it is easily trimmed into shape so ideal for different shapes and sizes of hedge - trim it a couple of times during the summer to encourage the formation of a dense, formal garden hedge. The slim branches also mean that you can run over it with a pair of shears or light cutting equipment to get it into shape. Plus, if you leave your hedge and it gets out of hand, you can give it a good chop back and it quickly recovers.

Privet will grow well virtually anywhere (although dislikes sitting in wet soil) and is suitable for coastal situations (although it may defoliate a bit in winter). Plants are resistant to pollution and so a really great choice for town gardens where other plants may not thrive so well.