HEBE

I would like to add some evergreen shrubs to different areas of my new garden. I like the looks of the leathery plants that you see in established gardens. I think they are called Hebes. I do not have much time for the garden so they would have to be easy to look after, would they be OK?

One plant that we do see in abundance here in Inishowen is the Hebe. These plants have stood the test of time and are well able to cope with both our summers and our winters. The plants originated from New Zealand, Australia and South America and would be more than at home in your garden. There are loads of different types to choose from, whether you want a large formal hedge or a small variety for use in a dry rockery. The flowering period can be quite long and some varieties actually produce blooms twice a year. The colours range from white through pink to blue and purple. It was the purple types that were first planted because they were thought to be the hardiest, but all of the other coloured shrubs are as tough. The shrubs offer a year round interest of different varieties of waxy foliage. If you are looking at the plants out of flowering season then as a rule the lighter the leaf, the lighter the flower colour. If you are buying from a garden centre then they should have labels anyway. You will be pleased to know that the plants need very little or no maintenance, just remove any dead stems if you see them.

TEASEL

The frosts that we have really highlight the beauty of plant structures. Neglected gardens are particularly noticeable with last year’s dead growth of the perennials being covered with white crystals. I say this because my garden hasn’t really been touched since last summer and I’m very pleased with the results. So are the birds, they take shelter in the large amount of undergrowth when they are feeding on the food that I put out for them. Last years growth protects the new shoots that are appearing now, it won’t be long before we see the daffodils out. It isn’t just the garden that looks beautiful at this time of the year. Look in the hedgerows when you are out for a walk and you will see all sort of interesting things happening. If you are lucky you could see the remains of old teasels. Teasels are fascinating plants that seem to appear out of nowhere. They are usually seen on roadsides, disturbed waste ground and in unused quarries. The plant is native to here and gets its name from its former use for raising the nap on cloth, teasing it out with the spiky seed heads. Teasel Dipsacus fullonum, was obviously grown in bygone times for this purpose. The plants are still popular to-day but are grown for a more ornamental purpose. People like to use the decorative seed heads in dried winter flower arrangements. The seeds are shed from these if they are left to mature and they can pop up, years later, often in unexpected places. The teasel is given credit for attracting goldfinches into the garden, but they probably attract more species, as the seeds will be an attractive addition to the winter menu. Another plant that you might see in the hedgerow is soapwort.

SOAP SUBSTIUTE

SOAPWORT

I have grown this plant from seed over the years and it proves to be a good ground cover and an interesting talking point. Usually the original form of this plant is seen in hedgerows, but there are cultivated species around they would have escaped from private gardens. Soapwort of Saponaria officianalis, was grown because of its use in the kitchen. If soapwort is boiled, both the leaves and the roots make lather and the resulting mixture was used to wash wool. I tried this myself and it really worked, although I wouldn’t use it on white clothes, as there is a green pigment from the chlorophyll in the leaves. The plant was cultivated near woollen mills and probably escaped into the countryside, much like the teasel did. Scotland seems to have more that anywhere else and this is because they had a thriving woollen industry in the past. The plant reaches 60- 90 cm in length and will have either pink or white flowers.