ALL YEAR INTEREST IN THE GARDEN

Photo: Pieris japonica 'sundance'

You will not go far wrong for colour in the garden if you visit the growers and garden centres at regular intervals throughout the year and buy what looks good. There are some lovely specimens around at the moment. Here are just a few of the plants on offer.

'Pieris japonica 'sundance'.

When the flowers have gone we are left with rich foliage to last through the year.

Pernettya mucronata

These are loaded with berries at the moment. The plants also have a delicate spring flower and a fine leaf texture. These all combine to make the pernettya a nice plant to use in the garden. These versatile, low-growing plants work well in containers, rockeries, or in landscape borders. Plant them in-groups of three or more for best effect.

Gauletheria macradonta

These plants are loaded with berries. A small forest plant with glossy evergreen leaves. Fruit is a bright red berry, which persists on the plant all winter. Some people have been known to eat the leaves and berries but I would be a bit wary. The mature leaves can apparently be used to make tea as well. The plant spreads slowly by rhizomes to form a colony. Requires a well-drained, acidic soil. May prefer a bit of shade, but does well in full sun if the soil is not too dry. Tolerates heavy shade, but will grow and fruit best with plenty of light.

Erica carnea and darlyensis heathers.

These plants make a great swath of colourful ground cover in the garden all winter and spring. They are particularly effective when planted en mass into weed retaining material and covered with mulch.

Other winter flowering shrubs that are very hardy for Inishowen are viburnum and skimmia.

Skimmia

There are numerous lovely skimmias, generally from the Himalayas and the Far East, and these form evergreen shrubs of varying heights. Most are dioecious, meaning they have male and female flowers on different plants, and both sexes must be planted to ensure a crop of fruits. 'Rubella' is a compact male variety with attractive red-margined, dark green leaves. The flower buds, which appear in autumn and winter, are a prominent feature of the plant, as are the scented flowers, which open in spring. It is perfect for growing in containers and provides good all year round colour. 'Rubella' has been given an Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which is for plants of outstanding excellence and the Reeves variety is self-pollinating so you don’t have to get a male and female plant to get berries.

Viburnum tinus

This is a useful evergreen shrub for winter interest in the open garden or containers. It's very compact, and has dense dark green foliage. 'Eve Price' flowers over a long period from late winter to spring. The pink flower buds open to tiny, star-shaped white flowers, carried in flattened heads and these are followed by small dark blue-black fruits. It can also be grown as an informal hedge and is tolerant of a fair amount of shade. To propagate, take cuttings in summer.

Horticultural