Filipendula purpurea Alba

The Filipendula purpurea 'Alba', also known as the Meadowsweet, is a robust and hardy perennial that thrives in moist soil. It has beautiful deciduous green leaves that are finely cut and reddish-purple stems. Its numerous delicate white flowers, lightly dusted with pink, are grouped in very airy corymbs and attract pollinators from June to July. Both wild and elegant, it is suitable for different types of gardens and does not require monitoring.

The Meadowsweet has been known for centuries for its many virtues. Firstly, aromatic: it perfumes wines, beers, and mead. But also medicinal, a sacred plant for druids, it is used as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic etc. In our gardens, it is mainly decorative: Long branching stems start from its rhizomatous stump, carrying large shiny leaves of a vibrant green. These are composed of several leaflets, distinctly crenate and pinnate, with a wavy surface that pleasantly reflects light. The last one being deeply divided into a palmate shape for the 'Alba' variety. At the end of the stems, fluffy corymbs sway in the wind. They are made up of multiple small white flowers lightly scented, with prominent stamens that give it a lot of charm.

The 'Alba' Purple Meadowsweet is a medium-sized perennial reaching a height of 70cm (28in), making it suitable for creating a lush, soft, and wild background for small gardens. It withstands cold temperatures (-15°C (5°F)) and enjoys both sunny and semi-shaded exposures. Its only requirement is not to tolerate soils that are at risk of drying out. It will then need to be watered. If you have large beds near a pond, it will find its place behind small clumps, such as perennial Geraniums and Heucheras, and in front of tall, airy plants, such as Angelicas and Asters.