A childhood dream; a nettle patch you can fall into and emerge unscathed from. Growing in the south facing glasshouse border is a planting of Boehmeria ticuspis var. unicuspis in the family Urticaceae which also contains our rampant, spreading Stinging Nettle that clumps up so readily on fertile, organic soil. Enjoying the same conditions, Boehmeria, a native to Japan, will become woody but does not have a spreading root system. The diamond shaped leaves are indented around the edge. The petiole and young stem are red in colour. The good news; no part stings. Look out for the small pink flowers in tassels held in the leaf axil.