Gaultheria procumbens

Checkerberry, Gaultheria procumbens is an evergreen shrub, native to North America. It grows to around 15cm tall but can spread up to a metre, to create an eye-catching carpet of dark green foliage, with tints of red in the autumn. This makes it a useful groundcover plant. Small, white or pink, bell-shaped flowers in summer are followed by attractive red berries. Checkerberry is easy to grow and makes an attractive edging plant for informal paths and wild garden beds. As it's a shrub with evergreen leaves, rather than a perennial, it offers year round interest. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Grow Gaultheria procumbens in moist but well-drained, acidic soil in partial or full shade. Some gaultheria plants are either male or female, but Gaultheria procumbens is self fertile and doesn't require another plant to produce berries. It will grow best in acid to neutral soil, or peat-free ericaceous compost if growing in a container. The creeping and suckering stems are easily controlled by chopping through them with a spade once a year.