Shrubs at Digging Dog
Agapetes to Halimiocistus
Includes Arctostaphylos, Buddleia, Calluna (Heather), Erica (Heath), & Cistus
When the joy of gardening with shrubs is discovered, the gardener can begin to think in terms of the future.
Ease of care and permanence are the two great attributes of this plant group, but the prime motivation for planting shrubs is surely their infinite variety of form, which enables them to fulfill a vast range of functions.
The classic concept of gardens as outdoor rooms is based on planting shrubs for garden walls (hedges) and screens. A sense of anticipation and excitement can be created by dividing and defining space with these living barriers, either seasonally with a deciduous selection or year-round with an evergreen.
Developing character with age, shrubs can set the overall tone of a garden, bridging the gap between smaller plants and trees. They can also stand alone as specimens.
Low hedges, clipped or left au naturale, unify the garden by framing beds. Now that we’ve discussed function, we hope the following descriptions will provide an idea of the varied beauty available and inspire you to plant some of these treasures.
Agapetes
Hailing from the moist forested foothills of the Himalayas, this intriguing Ericaceae family member is a vigorous hybrid between incurvata and serpens that bears lustrous Huckleberry-like foliage. Large woody tubers give way to upright and arching branches neatly lined with red-suffused new growth and slender green leathery leaves.
In an enchanting summertime display, pendulous fairy-tale flowers, each embellished by a tiny maroon checkerboard pattern, resemble narrow, 5-sided creamy white lanterns. Superb as a hanging container specimen or elevated along a pathway amid ferns, ‘Ludgvan Cross’ prefers bright shade, well drained acid soil and a sheltered spot. Zone 8/9.
Blooms June – August. Size: 4' high x 4' wide; hardy to zone 9.
Agapetes ‘Ludgvan Cross’ (s-0688)
Each $8.50
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Manzanita
Sinuous and smooth earthy red branches, waxy urn-shaped blossoms, and handsome, rounded evergreen leaves—that’s Manzanita. From the coast to the mountains, over 40 varieties are indigenous to the Golden State.
Manzanitas require very well drained soil. The best time to transplant is autumn so winter rains can stimulate root growth. Manzanita is a strong, sturdy shrub if these guidelines are followed, even in the interior valleys. By summer, it will be ready for drought, needing only monthly irrigation once established. This is a fine plant for native or Mediterranean settings, and birds will appreciate its tiny apple-shaped fruit.
Monterey ManzanitaFull of vigor and bright, fine textured greenery, this coastal California native spreads to form a low, handsome mound. Rubescent brown branches gracefully sweep upwards and sometimes grow in twisted shapes, forming a framework for the upfacing, pointed leaves, reddened stems and dainty white flowers.
Always appreciative of well drained sites, and when grown inland, summertime watering with a little shade, ‘Wayside’ is a superb candidate for banks, rock gardens or native plantings accompanying Erigeron ‘Ron’s Pink’ and Deschampsia ‘Goldgehänge’.
Blooms February–April. Size: 2'–3' high x 6'–8' wide; hardy to zone 8.
Arctostaphylos hookeri ‘Wayside’ (S-0599)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart BearberryPolished, trim and fresh-looking, this prostrate evergreen ground cover keeps its composure all year long. Small, rich green leathery leaves glow with wintertime reddish purple tinges while ushering in quantities of light pink urn-shaped flowers, followed by showy red berries. A northern California native reputed to possess astringent qualities, ‘Radiant’ is distinguished by its lush close-to-the-ground mat that requires little care except for light afternoon shade and occasional watering in hot areas.
Blooms March – April. Size: 6"–8" high x 3'–5' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Radiant’ (S-0668)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Aronia
A versatile North American native originating in Morton Arboretum, this small-statured deciduous shrub proposes something exceptional for each season: fragrant spring flowers, courtly summer foliage, brilliant fall color and persistent winter berries. Flaunting an autumnal pageant of stunning red, burgundy and purple hues, lustrous, deeply green, thickened leaves garb the compact, dense multitude of suckering stems. Airy, Hawthorne-like flowers gathered in white, 2 in. wide, eye catching corymbs precede the heavy clusters of polished purple-black berries that gracefully weigh down branches and bring color to gray December days.
Obliging of low-lying wet areas, dry sandy sites and some shade, easy-to-grow ‘Iroquois Beauty’ thrives in full sun and can reside with equal ease in a small garden, a mixed border or a naturalized setting when planted en masse.
Blooms April–May. Size: 3' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 3.
Aronia melanocarpa ‘Iroquois Beauty’ (S-0600)
Each $10.75
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Azara
Variegated Boxleaf Azara
While the species hails from Chile, Azara microphylla ‘Variegata’ originated in Ireland and everything about this evergreen shrub is elegant. Its dainty dark green polished leaves are delicately painted with broad alabaster margins as they cloak sprays of gracefully downward arching branches. Achieving a unique herringbone look, the diminutive leaflets feature smaller, overlapping leaves at their bases and in early spring, tufted flowers laden with the heavenly sweet scent of vanilla.
Slowly growing into a large specimen that emphasizes sophisticated texture and pattern, especially when superimposed against a wall, it begs a sheltered west or south facing site, sulks in hotter climates and can easily be pruned to fit just about any other garden spot.
Blooms March–April. Size: 13' high x 9' wide; hardy to zone 8.
Azara microphylla ‘Variegata’ (s-0624)
Each $9.00
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Berberis
Barberry
Graham Stuart Thomas once commented that the incredible beauty of Barberry foliage must be the reason why gardeners are willing to overlook their thorns, and he went so far as to say
“perhaps they are valuable in combating hooliganism.” This compact Berberis is named for the golden edge that rings its dark reddish purple leaves, a lustrous accent more pronounced in the spring.
Sparkling against the opulent foliage, the small, bell-shaped yellow flowers are enhanced with warmly colored sepals and eventually give way to bright red fruit.
Blooms March–April. Size: 3' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Berberis thunbergii ‘Golden Ring’ (S-0411)
Each $8.00
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Brugmansia
Angel's Trumpet
White Angel’s TrumpetGraceful branches and broad pale green leaves make a compact backdrop for enormous, 8 to 10 in. long, creamy white trumpets that dangle in a fanciful manner. The splendid blooms are subtly infused with chartreuse at the base and are borne in abundance, sometimes numbering as many as 50 at any given time.
Position this stellar specimen on the patio or near a path in a terra-cotta container, and you too will be bewitched by its sweet spicy nighttime perfume and dreamy essence. Indigenous to South America, this exotic-looking evergreen member of the Potato family and Brugmansia suaveolens hybrid needs winter protection at around 20 to 25° and judicious pruning to curb its vigorous growth and maintain a sophisticated shape.
Blooms July – mid-November. Size: 6'–10' high x 6'–9' wide; hardy to zone 9.
Brugmansia ‘Betty Marshall’ (S-0723)
Each $9.00
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Pink Angel's TrumpetGracefully spreading branches and broad dark green leaves are the backdrop for enormous, 8 to 10 in. long, softly colored trumpets that dangle in a fanciful manner. The splendid blooms are pale pink at the base, then subtly graduate to a deep salmon-pink where the floral shaft flares out. Position this stellar specimen on the patio or near a path in a terracotta container, and you too will be bewitched by its sweet floral perfume and dreamy essence.
Indigenous to South America, these exotic-looking evergreen members of the Potato family need winter protection at around 20 to 25° and judicious pruning to curb their vigorous growth and maintain a sophisticated shape.
Blooms July – mid-November. Size: 5'–10' high x 6'–8' wide; hardy to zone 9.
Brugmansia x insignis ‘Pink’ (S-0704)
Each $9.00
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Butterfly Bush
Around midsummer, when the pendulous racemes of flowers weigh down its boughs, it’s hard to decide which is more satisfying: Buddleia’s abundant, often fragrant blossoms, or the myriad butterflies they attract.
Himalayan Butterfly Bush
One of the softest looking plants in our garden, this exceptional Himalayan native invites a touch every time we stroll by. Displaying white wooly undersides and toothed, wavy-edged margins, the 6 in. long, broadly shaped gray-green leaves are oh so fuzzy! In summer, stout felted branches host densely set
lilac panicles of fragrant, orange-throated flowers. With its downy silver visage, Buddleja crispa makes a luminous partner for Phlox ‘David’ in the mixed border.
Blooms July–October. Size: 4'–5' high x 4'–5' wide; hardy to zone 6.
Buddleja crispa (S-0583)
Each $9.50
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‘Summer Beauty’ is our favorite pink blooming Butterfly Bush. Headlining large, conical and richly rosy, fragrant trusses that make gorgeous cut flowers, and a tidy, fast growing, yet compact stature of gently curving branches, this Buddleia makes an excellent small specimen.
The handsome pewter-tinged leaves can be blended with the like-hued foliage of Salvia clevelandii. ‘Aromas’ and Lavenders for a restful, silvery garden vista. Include Euphorbia ‘Dean’s Hybrid’s acid-yellow blooms for a more exuberant summer display.
Blooms June–early October. Size: 6'–7' high x 4'–5' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Buddleja davidii ‘Summer Beauty’ (S-0584)
Each $9.50
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A classy mainstay for the border that entices hummingbirds, butterflies and beneficial insects as well as two-legged garden visitors, ‘White Profusion’ lives up to its name. This fast growing ultrahardy shrub spotlights silver-backed green leaves beneath a sparkling blanket of huge, arching snowy white clusters crowded with fragrant yellow-eyed flowers. Deadheading will keep the brilliant blooms coming all summer long, while a hard spring pruning will help maintain a smaller, more manageable size.
Blooms June – August. Size: 8' high x 5'–7' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Buddleja davidii ‘White Profusion’ (S-0709)
Each $9.50
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Copious, deeply blue trusses and a shorter compact carriage earned this stellar new Butterfly Bush a tie for first place at Longwood Garden’s Buddleja trials. Originally springing up as a chance ‘Lochinch’ seedling in Ellen Hornig’s New York garden and later introduced by Heronswood Nursery, ‘Ellen’s Blue’s gray-green foliage and light stems shape a relatively small, versatile shrub that is easier to slip into your garden than her more hefty cousins. Good-sized and opulent with a sweet fruity aroma, the floriferous performance lulls zesty summertime shades like the orange torches of Kniphofia ‘Shining Sceptre’.
Blooms June to early October. Size: 4'–5' high x 4'–5' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Buddleja ‘Ellen’s Blue’ (S-0670)
Each $9.50
Add to Cart This uncommon South African Buddleja soothes the garden with a composed evergreen appearance. Offsetting the darker green-gray leaf tops, a downy white felt envelops the new growth, foliar undersides and arching stems. Tiny teeth and a bumpy texture define the long narrow, leatherlike foliage that’s reminiscent of willow leaves, while lavender flowers borne in short racemes embellish them.
Stage amid Molinia ‘Bergfreund’ and Sedum ‘Indian Chief’ for contrasting forms and color.
Blooms July–August. Size: 6' high x 6' wide; hardy to zone 8.
Buddleja knappii (S-0649)
Each $9.50
Add to Cart Originating at England’s Hever Castle, this fine textured Buddleja is graceful and early to bloom. The gray-green deciduous foliage is small and fuzzy, oblong-shaped and silver on the flip side, inheriting the good looks of its Buddleja alternifolia parent. Laden with dense fragrant sprays that showcase orange-throated mauve flowers, the fast growing arched stems die back in colder climates and can be maintained by a hard pruning just after the first frost in warmer areas. Zone 6/7.
Blooms July–August. Size: 7' high x 6' wide; hardy to zone 7.
Buddleja x pikei ‘Hever’ (S-0648)
Each $9.50
Add to Cart Hats off to esteemed horticulturist Michael Dirr for this unprecedented breakthrough hybrid with 8 to 10 in. long trusses simultaneously featuring two completely different hues. ‘Bicolor’s happy-looking colorful fusion, includes lavender buds and peachy pink blooms, which attain a canary yellow cast as they mature. Amid a compact, easily managed profile clothed in soft gray-green leaves, the fragrant spectacle arrives during the dog days of summer, luring butterflies and appearing particularly upbeat when matched with Panicum ‘Cloud Nine’ and Lavandula ‘Violet Intrigue’.
Blooms July – early October. Size: 6'–8' high x 6'–8' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Buddleja x weyeriana ‘Bicolor’ (S-0740)
Each $9.50
Add to Cart Esteemed for its glorious yellow flowers, this recent Mike Dirr hybrid is a cross between davidii and globosa. A handsome silvery foundation supports the breathtaking spectacle of saturated clear yellow blooms. Enhanced by orange eyes, the flowers are held in globe-shaped terminal panicles some 4 to 6 in. long. Blooming for months on end, ‘Honeycomb’ looks vivacious with Persicaria ‘Summer Dance’ and Salvia ‘Blue Ensign’ in the mixed border.
Blooms mid-June–October. Size: 5'–7' high x 4'–5' wide; hardy to zone 6.
Buddleja x weyeriana ‘Honeycomb’ (S-0558)
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Email me when this plant is available Bupleurum
Shrubby Hare’s Ear
Imbued with soft soothing hues, a dense, round and shapely hummock hosts narrow, leathery sea green foliage that’s lustrous, oval-shaped and dons gray undersides. Tiny sulphur yellow flowers swirling in neat, airy umbels stage a light-hearted dance upon this medium-sized evergreen shrub for most of the summer and early fall.
Whether positioned as a specimen, massed as a screen or windbreak or utilized as a backdrop for a mixed planting, its quiet, yet handsome persona is sure to please.Though this Mediterranean dweller may need some winter protection, it easily endures tough dry sites and exposed coastal conditions. Zone 6/7.
Blooms July – October. Size: 6' high x 6' wide; hardy to zone 7.
Bupleurum fruticosum (S-0731)
Each $9.00
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Buxus
Boxwood
Littleleaf BoxwoodHallmarked by a well groomed verdure, the low growing ‘Green Beauty’ is second-to-none for hedging or edging, accenting the rock garden or making an architectural statement just about anywhere. Polished, small rounded leaves maintain a crisp, dark green look all year long while cloaking the upright, yet compact semidwarf form.
This versatile evergreen can handle hot and cold weather and makes a plucky counterpoint amid Westringia ‘Smokey’ or Teucrium fruticans (Select Form).
Size: 4'–6' high x 4' wide; hardy to zone 6.
Buxus microphylla japonica ‘Green Beauty’ (S-0650)
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Email me when this plant is available This handsome Boxwood is distinguished by a lustrous mass of tiny dark green leathery leaves, maintaining superb winter color then transmuting a pronounced bluish cast in spring, while dressing a hardy, broad spreading habit. ‘Vadar Valley’ thrives with sun or shade, stays fairly short and rounded, grows at a moderate pace, and is the perfect choice for foundation plantings, low hedges or grouped statements, anywhere its emerald hues can shine.
Size: 2-1/2' high x 5' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Buxus sempervirens ‘Vadar Valley’ (S-0710)
Each $7.00
Add to Cart Korean BoxwoodWith a tailored demeanor clipped or not, this undemanding Boxwood is second-to-none for hedging, edging, accenting the rockery or sculpting a topiary or bonsai specimen. Young downy branches and lustrous, small elliptical leaves in crisp dark greens define the dwarf rounded form that grows slowly and a little less densely.
A reliably cold tolerant evergreen, it can be planted as a low and refined verdant border, allowing more rambunctious plants to exuberantly spill over.
Size: 2' high x 20" wide; hardy to zone 4.
Buxus sinica var. insularis (S-0669)
Each $7.00
Add to Cart Callicarpa
Purple BeautyberryA beacon for the fall border, this deciduous Korean species is considered by many to be the most refined Beautyberry, and its boldly hued early September fruit occurs well before other varieties. Small and shiny, rounded berry clusters achieve an astonishing, almost electric lavender hue. Flowers are delicate,
diminutive and pink, quietly dressing up its handsome, very green leaf mass and gracefully rounded form.
‘Early Amethyst’ prefers well drained soil, tolerates some drought, appreciates a late winter pruning and produces more fruit when planted in groups.
Blooms August. Size: 3'–4' high x 3'–4' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Early Amethyst’ (S-0587)
Each $11.00
Add to Cart Heaths and Heathers
Heaths (Erica) and Heathers (Calluna) are best en masse. Drifts of their varied forms and flower and foliage colors blend beautifully. They’re also fine companions for Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Pieris and other acid-loving plants in the evergreen shrubbery. The timid might try adding a few winter bloomers to the herb or perennial border for year-round interest. But be forewarned—to plant one is to want them all!
Requiring good drainage and poor, acidic soil, the Heaths and Heathers
are ideal for the coastal garden. Some will perform well inland, preferring
light shade, but they're sensitive to extremes of heat and cold. Wind and
salt spray are tolerated as long as the plants are away from the front lines.
Prune annually, with a shearing after the blooms are spent.
Heather
Callunas’ tiny, scalelike leaves range from deepest green to silver, gold and bronze, with some changing color after a frost. Flowering from mid-to-late summer in cool whites, pinks and purples, the small, bell-shaped flowers are frozen in graceful repose on one-sided spikes. Heathers are marvelous fresh or dried.
Named for the Oregon nursery where it originated, this reliable American cultivar offers striking crimson flowers that nearly obscure its low mound of handsome greenery. ‘Corbett’s Red’ is a compact, spreading Heather whose richly hued blooms can be partnered with Spiraea ‘Magic Carpet’.
Blooms August–September. Size: 12" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Corbett’s Red’ (S-0601)
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With full bodied colors similar to a fine Pinot Noir, this enticing beauty queen flaunts the darkest hued flower of all Callunas. Deep red buds reveal showy and plentiful, semi-double dark cherry blooms that shade to ruby amid a good-looking, compact darkly green silhouette. Earning Holland’s prestigious Gold Medal award, ‘Dark Beauty’ will beckon you to her side whether she’s poised in the rockery, along a pathway or in a container.
Blooms August–October. Size: 8"–10" high x 14"–16" wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Dark Beauty’ (S-0654)
Each $7.25
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Renowned for entertaining the richest, most vibrant brick-red foliage, ‘Firefly’ never fails to snap us out of a gray, winter-day funk. Splendid warm shades ranging from salmon to terracotta imbue the foliage the rest of the year, while deep mauve flowers festoon its upright, compact frame in late summer.
Awarded Britain’s coveted AGM award, this vividly colored heather merits a choice niche in your garden.
Blooms August–September. Size: 18"–20" high wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Firefly’ (S-0653)
Each $7.25
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Without a doubt, this AGM winner plays host to the most lovely double white flowers in the genus. Slowly opening, tiny buds reveal long, downward curving frosty blooms, illuminating the fine textured, bright green foliage that possesses a mounding habit, and in winter, bronze dipped tips.
Blooms July – August. Size: 16" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Kinlochruel’ (S-0008)
Each $7.25
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Forming a dense low mat of showy bright green foliage, ‘Martha Herman’ is outstanding as a foil or accent with other Heathers and Heaths. Snow white flowers and horizontal spread are the icing on the cake. A real find!
Blooms July–August. Size: 12" high x 2-1/2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Martha Herman’ (S-0009)
Each $7.25
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Offering a clean and classic look out in the garden, this Calluna’s frosty white spires are highly valued by florists inside as well. Later to flower than most Heathers, the elegant fall blooms are showcased against handsome deep green foliage on upright branches. Counterpose its pert stance with
Acaena saccaticupula’s low-lying, silvery blue leaves.
Blooms September–October. Size: 16" high x 18" wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘October White’ (S-0576)
Each $7.25
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‘Pat’s Gold’ celebrates tidy bright golden foliage all year long. Intensely colorful and steeped in opulence, her upstanding compact habit is painted with fiery orange and rich mahogany tones, while pretty pale lavender blooms offer pastel summertime shades. Create a lively display by planting multiples amid green-leafed Callunas or Ericas, and we promise you won’t be disappointed for inviting her into your garden.
Blooms July – September. Size: 15" high x 18" wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Pat’s Gold’ (S-0430)
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Bedizened with golden foliage in spring that bronzes during the warmer months, asserts orange highlights in fall and for a Christmas time display radiates red tinges, ‘Robert Chapman’ is a year-round carousel of color. His glowing dense habit supports stiff stems arranged at varied heights and come summer, abundant soft lavender-pink blooms.
J. W. Sparkes just might have been contemplating this celebrated heather’s zealous display when he named it after his friend, Charlie Chapman’s hard working son.
Blooms August–September. Size: 18" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Robert Chapman’ (S-0627)
Each $7.25
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Heralding handsome woolly gray foliage throughout the year, this knightly cultivar is yet another J. W. Sparkes introduction. Colder weather paints violet tinges on the leaves, while late summer finds upright branches studded with purple flowers near the tips. Plant ‘Silver Knight’ amid deep green companions such as Calluna vulgaris ‘Dark Beauty’ and Erica ‘Rackliff’ and a captivating contrast is yours to enjoy.
Blooms August – September. Size: 20" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Silver Knight’ (S-0180)
Each $7.25
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Bursting with lush growth in spring, ‘Sister Anne’s gray-green foliage contrasts nicely with its shell pink flowers. A winter chill will add a hint of purple to the foliage. This Heather is a dense mounding ground cover for lining walks or filling rocky nooks.
Blooms July–September. Size: 6" high x 18" wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Sister Anne’ (S-0011)
Each $7.25
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New foliage growth blazes orange-yellow, maturing to deep green, with medium pink flower spikes on a loosely mounding form.
Blooms July–August. Size: 20" high x 2-1/2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Spring Torch’ (S-0013)
Each $7.25
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Way back in 1938, a Miss Isabel Young, who was nicknamed Tib, happened upon this exceptional Heather in Scotland’s Pentland Hills. Unparalleled as a cut flower, either fresh or dried, the splendid rosy crimson double blooms, borne on long, erect slender stems, festoon a compact bushy mound of fine textured dark green foliage.
Eventually winning a coveted AGM, ‘Tib’ has withstood the test of time and promises to be a champion in your garden, especially when juxtaposed against the contrasting foliage of other Callunas such as Calluna ‘Firefly’ and Calluna ‘Sister Anne’.
Blooms July – September. Size: 18"–2' high x 2'–2-1/2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Tib’ (S-0711)
Each $7.25
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With so many upright and horizontal stems, this Heather has an especially wild appearance in its youth. When it matures, however, it develops into a dense, tight mound of unusual foliage: burnt orange-yellow on the upper half and lime-green below, where it is protected from the sun.
During the winter months the color intensifies, making the shrub appear almost as though it’s on fire. During the summer, the color spectrum is extended with lavender- pink flowers blooming along the upper portion of the stems.
Blooms late July–August. Size: 15" high x 2-1/2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calluna vulgaris ‘Wickwar Flame’ (S-0177)
Each $7.25
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A delightful melding of warm colors, ‘Winter Chocolate’ is a year-round standout in our Heather garden. Radiantly cloaked with chartreuse, chocolate and golden hues for winter, spring's new growth brings creamy salmon red tips. As the days grow longer, the foliage coloring broadens to a pleasing range of oranges, pinks and yellows, toned by bright greens. As if this isn’t enough, soft lavender blossoms just about smother the plant in late summer.
Blooms August – October. Size: 12"–20" high x 18"–2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
AVAILABLE SPRING 2012
Calluna vulgaris ‘Winter Chocolate’ (S-0470)
Each $7.25
Add to Cart Daboecia
Irish Heath
Premiering some of the biggest flowers amongst the Heathers and Heaths and attractive rosy seed pods perfect for dried arrangements, this vigorous low shrub was first spotted in the namesakes Glasgow garden. Diminutive, dark green, oval-shaped leaves with silvery undersides serve as a lustrous foil for the elongated spiky racemes of large, lantern-shaped crimson-purple blossoms.
‘William Buchanan’ is a close-knit long blooming Heath that appreciates well drained acid soils, a trim after flowering and a natural setting. He’s at home on a hillside, around the rockery or oceanfront. Zone 6/7.
Blooms June – October. Size: 16" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 7.
Daboecia x scotica ‘William Buchanan’ (S-0692)
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Heath
Heaths have fine, short, needlelike evergreen leaves that vary from deep green to silver, gold, or chartreuse. Tiny, urn-shaped flowers sparkle like hoarfrost, in shades from white to pinks and rosy purples. Though most floriferous in winter and early spring, (and highly welcome at that dreary time!), a scheme for year-round color can be developed by combining with Callunas.
A beacon of dazzling color, the low-to-the-ground mat is cloaked in distinctive needlelike foliage set aglow with gilded yellow hues and bronzy red tips. Resulting as a sport from ‘Vivellii’ and named by J. W. Sparkes in 1955 for his sister-in-law, this lambent beauty is further heightened when her carmine-red racemes unfurl, cheering up a drab winter landscape.
Blooms February – March. Size: 6"–9" high x 12"–15" wide; hardy to zone 4.
Erica carnea ‘Ann Sparkes’ (S-0637)
Each $7.25
Add to Cart This shining starlet guarantees a year-round performance. Bred by Germany’s Kurt Kramer, ‘Golden Starlet’ is favored for its bright golden foliage, snowy white blooms and tidy, low spreading habit. During the summer months, the leaves attain a glowing yellow hue, while
cooler weather brings lime-green accents and splendid flowers that last all winter.
Blooms December–March. Size: 6" high x 16" wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica carnea ‘Golden Starlet’ (S-0457)
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Email me when this plant is available Deemed one of the loveliest and most decorative Heaths, this highly touted Erica displays bright rosy red flowers on a tidy, compact mound of Yew green foliage. Be sure to reserve a prominent spot for ‘King George’s abundant blooms, so you can easily relish them during winters’ gray days.
Blooms December–March. Size: 6"–9" high x 18"–2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica carnea ‘King George’ (S-0214)
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Donning the name of a castle in Wigton, Scotland, ‘Myretoun Ruby’s low spreading, Yew-green needles and deep reddish purple blooms achieve a gemlike opulence. Perhaps the darkest red flowering carnea cultivar in cultivation, this Erica’s saturated blossoms age with
bright crimson highlights. Nestle amid Ajuga ‘Emerald Chip’, and relish the wintertime splendor.
Blooms December–March. Size: 10"–12" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica carnea ‘Myretoun Ruby’ (S-0175)
Each $7.25
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Distinguished by large, two-toned blooms and a robust yet gracious form, ‘Pink Spangles’ paints the winter landscape with a truly dynamic floral display. Shell pink sepals and rosier pink petals that open from lime-colored buds ornament this superb ground cover’s medium green, spreading foliage.
Blooms January–March. Size: 9"–12" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica carnea ‘Pink Spangles’ (S-0213)
Each $7.25
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Clear pink flowers engulf the forest green foliage, followed by vigorous spring growth that sprouts bright bronze. Pair it in a drift with ‘Springwood White’.
Blooms October-January. Size: 10" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica carnea ‘Springwood Pink’ (S-0015)
Each $7.25
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Creamy buds open into white flowers on this old favorite in the trade. A vigorous ground cover, it can handle inland heat and tough conditions. ‘Martha Herman’ is its best mate.
Blooms October–January. Size: 10" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
AVAILABLE LATE SPRING 2012
Erica carnea ‘Springwood White’ (S-0016)
Each $7.25
Add to Cart This Heath brings carmine red flowers that cover a low spreading form. Its deep green summer foliage bronzes after the first frost. Match this gem with white varieties.
Blooms October-January. Size: 12" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica carnea ‘Vivelli’ (S-0725)
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Distinctive for its deep green, fine textured foliage and pleasing form, this summer blooming Erica was named in honor of the man who discovered it—Australian born Charles Eason. Very tiny short needles and slender branches make an ideal foil for the freely borne, dense clusters of glowing dark pink flowers.
Blooms June – September. Size: 12" high x 15"–20" wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica cinerea ‘C. D. Eason’ (S-0565)
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Twisted HeathIt was a British couple, Mr. and Mrs. Letts, whose keen eyes first noted this summer flowering beauty in the wilds of Cornwall and later introduced it. Ample-sized, more than abundant and long blooming, the luminous amethyst flowers sparkle like jewels upon the vigorous dark green needlelike foliage that defines ‘Purple Beauty’s exquisite, low bushy habit.
Blooms June – October. Size: 12" high x 22" wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica cinerea ‘Purple Beauty’ (S-0471)
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Add to Cart Deep magenta flowers decorate this durable evergreen when most plants are dormant. It’s happiest in full sun and interesting with Hebe ‘New Zealand Gold’. Some experts believe ‘Furzey’ has the best flower color among Ericas.
Blooms October–January. Size: 12" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica x darleyensis ‘Furzey’ (S-0018)
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Unparalleled among red flowering Ericas, this ornate Heath takes its name from Kurt Kramer of Germany. Stiff branches hold darkly green foliage, enhanced in winter by bronze highlights and closely set chartreuse buds that open into cerise-magenta blooms.
Blooms November–January. Size: 15" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica x darleyensis ‘Kramer’s Red’ (S-0564)
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Dainty lilac urns embellish ‘Margaret Porter’s attractive mid-green needles that comprise her low spreading form.
Blooms January-May. Size: 10" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica x darleyensis ‘Margaret Porter’ (S-0019)
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The pristine white flowers stand out against the deep green foliage, yet we favor this Heath for its form, which clumps to an almost spherical mound.
Blooms November-February. Size: 18" high x 18" wide; hardy to zone 8.
Erica mediterranea ‘W. T. Rackliff’ (S-0020)
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Cornish Heather
Applauded throughout the world as one of the most cherished heaths, this Erica’s deep cherry-red blooms have as much charm as the story behind them. Mrs. Maxwell’s discerning eye first spotted its good-looking, robust form while on her honeymoon in Cornwall, England and promptly sent home cuttings! Elevated above a low, deep green bush, the long, upright racemes of cylindrically arranged, irresistible blooms open from the bottom up and when spent, persist through the winter burnished in russet-brown hues.
Blooms July–September. Size: 18"–2' high x 2'–2-1/2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Erica vagans ‘Mrs. D. F. Maxwell’ (S-0607)
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Calycanthus
Sweetshrub, Spice Bush
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