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Sanguisorba officinalis ‘Tanna’Larry Davidson

Burnet is a herb that I remember from my very first garden, but the plant went out of my repertoire many years ago. It's a bit shrubby and as the garden has become more groomed in appearance there seemed no place for this old plant. But here is Sanguisorba officinalis 'Tanna,' a gorgeous see-through plant that waves its burnished glory in the late-summer light. Now it has reached the level of becoming a very necessary plant because it extends the blooming season well into autumn. Imagine this one surrounded by the fiery foliage ahead.

See-through plants are trendy these days, especially for perennial borders. The term really only refers to plants that bloom on long stems, which are likely to move with every breeze. They pair up with other plants so well that you can tuck a lot of contrasting plants into a fairly small space. This brilliant, cheerful ornamental burnet will grow in just about any soil (sandy or clay-based) – it's a great way to jazz up a tired-looking area. Try it in a container that's a decent size (40 cm or larger), but easily lugged from one part of the garden to another, or just leave it in a static container on a patio. It grows in a neat clump from 30 to 45 cm high and wide, which makes it a good deal smaller than the other Sanguisorbas.

The Tanna has lovely grey-green leaves, and enchanting spiky bottlebrush blooms (some have likened the blooms to bobbles). They look wonderful with grasses, next to roses and annuals that pick up the same rich tones of red to magenta. It's a plant that does not get mildewed nor does it attract slugs, which are coming out in droves this summer and getting into just about any style of garden. It's neither going to spread its seed around willy-nilly nor be pushy in its demands for space, so even a small balcony garden will be enhanced by its presence.

Try Sanguisorba in both sun and high light shade, and use it with dense foliage and shrubs. What could take the curse off fading hydrangeas more readily than this charming plant and its perfect habits?

Sanguisorba officinalis 'Tanna' retails for $10 at Lost Horizons in Acton, Ont. (www.losthorizons.ca). For more plant information, go to www.marjorieharris.com.

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