Juniperus communis Cupressaceae

CULTIVATION Juniper is a hardy, evergreen shrub with grey-green, needle-like leaves and small, creamy-yellow flowers that appear from midsummer. Growing to a height of 1-3m (3-9ft), it prefers poor, well-drained, alkaline soil and full sun.

Harvest the aromatic, navy-blue berries in their third summer when they are ripe and covered in a grey bloom. Use some berries freshly picked and dry the rest in a warm room for one to two weeks, then store them in a screw-top jar. The juniper is lovely as a garden, border, hedge or container herb. There are dwarf, prostrate, creeping and columnar varieties available, so choose one appropriate to the site. Plant both a male and a female, so berries will appear on the female plants.