The bay laurel holds an rhs award for garden merit this handsome upright evergreen tree or shrub has aromatic leathery leaves which are useful in cooking laurus nobilis is easy to grow and maintain although it can eventually grow quite large it can be clipped into various forms of topiary or hedging its glossy evergreen foliage makes an elegant addition to borders herb gardens and patio containers each spring bay trees attract bees with their profuse clusters of pale yellow flowers