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Month: August 2009

Hebe Shrub from Cuttings

Hebe Shrub from Cuttings

This purple Hebe is flowering about 2’6″ high in a compact format. I would like to make a low hedge of Hebe (Veronica)  to breakup the outline of a large border and this variety amongst many others suits me well.

Hebe Cuttings

  • Now is a good time to take a series of cuttings to root this Autumn and be ready to transplant next spring.
  • You can pull off a 4inch shoot leaving a bit of a heel and pot it in sharp compost or soil with some sand added.
  • I cut with a knife  or take my cuttings with secateurs if I am busy.
  • Trim off the bottom leaves and try get a cutting with the wood just beginning to harden at the base as this summers green wood may not root as easily.
  • Take more cuttings than you need and if some fail it won’t be a problem. If you have too many plants you can always find a happy home for these flowering shrubs.
  • Theoretically you should use cuttings from unflowered branches but I find so much floral profusion that it is hardly worth seeking them out.
Annual Alyssum

Annual Alyssum

Sweet Alyssum is one of the best smelling annuals you can grow. The flowers have a marvelous honey scent all summer and these  Alyssum ‘Royal Carpet’  are a different purple to the shades you normally see.

  • Carpet of Snow is the best selling seed variety that flowers traditional white. The seedlings clump up into a nice mound and the plants make good edging for borders. A must for Cottage gardens.
  • Allyssum is often paired with Lobelia for the contrast of blue and white flowers growing in unrestrained 3-4 inch tall plants. They can also be planted in pots to accompany a centre piece plant such as a bush fuchsia.
  • Mixed colours of pink, Lilac, rose, violet and even yellow now supplement the traditional white varieties.
  • Plants will self seed but I buy new seed each spring and the plants grow away in most soil conditions without much interferance from me.