#welldrained

Plant of the Day

Saturday 18 May 2019

Ideal for a sunny, well drained site is the clump-forming perennial Asphodeline lutea (asphodel, king's spear, yellow asphodel). It has distinctive tall stems with whorls of fine, grey-blue leaves. At the top of the stems are a cluster of star-like yellow flowers which later form a wand of bright green, round fruit which eventually dry to crinkled brown and provide winter interest.

Plant of the Day

Saturday 10 November 2018

Acting as a punctuation point at the corner of this path in dry garden at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden Hyde Hall is Dasylirion wheeleri (spoon flower, common sotol, bear grass). This is a native of the arid environments of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It is considered tender but good drainage will help it to survive the winter.

Plant of the Day

Sunday 11 November 2018

Despite autumn progressing the Tulbaghia violacea (society garlic) is still flowering. This drought-resistant South African rhizomatous perennial has grey-green leaves and umbels of fragrant flowers in late summer and autumn. The plant needs a well-drained soil and some winter protection in colder areas with a deep dry mulch.

Plant of the Day

Sunday 18 November 2018

The clipped forms of these Lavandula × chaytoriae 'Sawyers' (lavender) create a pattern that will sustain this garden display through the winter. This evergreen shrub has linear, silvery-grey leaves and in the summer there are spikes of light purple flowers.

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 26 July 2017

When they flower specimens of Itea ilicifolia (holly-leaved sweet spire) become a green waterfall. This medium-sized evergreen shrub has glossy, holly-like leaves wth honey-scented, small, whitish-green flowers in drooping racemes. For best results this plant needs a well-drained soil in a sheltered position in full sun.

Plant of the Day

Tuesday 4 July 2017

The bees could not resist Sideritis scardica (ironwort, mountain tea, shepherd's tea) which I found growing on the rock garden of Copenhagen Botanic Garden, Denmark, fortunately the garden has its own community hives and the honey was delicious! This short-lived herbaceous perennial was seeding into the porous rocks. It is an endemic to the Balkan Peninsula, where it is found at high altitudes in open, dry, grassy and stony meadows and rocky places. It is endangered in the wild due to collecting to meet demand for its medicinal value.