Sweet Woodruff

Galium odoratum

Sweet Woodruff is a perennial for groundcover, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam or chalk, flowering Apr, May.

Where to use it in a border

At around 20 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 45 cm of room to spread, roughly 2 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 5a to 9a and rated H7 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of shade, clay soil, chalk soil, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Sweet Woodruff's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• It tolerates a shaded, north-facing spot.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• Anise/Blue Sagefor height behind it
• Atamasco Rain Lilyto edge in front
• Black Cohoshfor height behind it
• Blackthornfor height behind it
• Blue Mistflowerto edge in front
• Blue Wood Asterto edge in front

Garden styles

Native Wildlife garden Woodland