Cotoneaster dammeri is one of the best of all evergreen ground covers. It makes a mat of small dark green leathery leaves and its prostrate stems root where they touch the soil. Its flowers are fragrant and during autumn and winter the bright red berries are showy. Read more about Cotoneaster dammeri
Plants which thrive in dry shade are few and far between. Cotyledon ‘Silver Shadow’ with its intensely silver white succulent leaves lightens an otherwise gloomy corner between and under two cypresses in the dry garden. 50cm x 60cm. Read more about Cotyledon orbiculata ‘Silver Shadow’
D. carthusianorum has reddish magenta flowers on stems to 50cm or more with a charming bobbing habit. Native to Central and Southern Europe it is drought-tolerant when once established. Clumps to 40cm. Read more about Dianthus carthusianorum
A native of dry, rocky places in south western Europe. This beautiful Dianthus carries round heads of crimson purple flowers on 35cm tall stems above low grassy filiage mounds. Happy in any sunny well drined position. 35cm x 20cm Read more about Dianthus cruentus ‘Blood Pink’
This Turkish species carries allium like heads of deep crimson flowers on 30cm tall stems over low clumps of needle-like foliage. Beautiful in the systems beds in the Chelsea Physic garden. 20cm tall by 15cm across. Read more about Dianthus pinifolius
“Diascia integerrima is one of the most widespread, toughest and floriferous of all the Diascia species.” Plantzafrica. This clump forming evergreen sub-shrub carries dusky crimson flowers on 40cm tall, strongly vertical, wiry stems from spring until winter. Read more about Diascia integerrima ‘Apollo’
These plants are compact, free and long flowering. They can be grown successfully in the border, rock garden, pots or hanging baskets. They will bloom from spring until autumn on plants some 25cm tall by the same across. A little summer watering required. Read more about Diascia ‘Light Crimson’
One of the longest flowering plants for a pot or basket, these Diascias are compact, free and long flowering. They can be grown successfully in the border, rock garden, pots or hanging baskets. Read more about Diascia ‘Pink’
Steel-blue buds open to large powdery mauve-blue spherical flower heads. Bold divided foliage, stiff vertical stems and the drumstick flower heads give this plant great architectural strength. Full sun. 120cm x 75cm Read more about Echinops bannaticus ‘Blue Mist’
The best of the taller globe flowers with spherical flower heads, steel-blue in bud opening to large balls of powdery mauve-blue when in full flower. Bold divided foliage, stiff vertical stems and the drumstick flower heads give this plant great architectural strength. Read more about Echinops bannaticus ‘Taplow Blue’
This very old variety has flourished in Australian gardens for nigh on a hundred years reliably making vigorous clumps of spoon shaped grey green clumps from which 50cm tall stems vary perfectly form soft lilac daisies. The flower buds nod in a charming manner. Read more about Erigeron ‘Quakeress’
This Australian release of this fine cultivar has caused great excitement. ‘Blue Haze’ is similar to E. ‘Copton Ash’ in habit and flower but is a neater plant and it’s not prone to the fasciation that mars ‘Copton Ash’ sometimes. Read more about Euphorbia ‘Blue Haze’
This variety may well have the bluest foliage of all the ornamental Euphorbias. At Lambley it has made a round shrub, some 50cm by 50cm, clothed in beautiful powder blue leaves and crowned during spring and summer with large chartreuse flower heads. Read more about Euphorbia ‘Blue Peaks’
This is one of the best groundcovers for dry shade where it will make suckering 40 cm tall evergreen stems clothed in handsome blue-green foliage. During spring the whole is covered by heads of lime green flowers. Read more about Euphorbia robbiae
This plant is nearly extinct in the wild where a few grow at three sites inside inactive volcanic craters in Madeira. Unusually long and broad fresh green leaves have a narrow red margin and a cream midrib.The green and red eyed flowers are produced in spring. Read more about Euphorbia stygiana
Large crimped leaves form a dense evergreen foliage mound from which, during summer, wands of showy deep lilac pinks flowers are produced. Best grown in a shady spot and will grow in quite dry shade when once established. Foliage mounds 25cm tall by 45cm width. Read more about Francoa sonchifolia ‘Rogerson’s Form’
NEW A fabulous foliage plant for a shady spot even relatively dry shade or sunny when once established although it is native to the mountains of southern Mexico where it does get regular rainfall. Read more about Furcraea quicheensis
The stunning pink Babies Breath, ‘Festival Star’ is bred for the garden rather than for the florists shop. It produces mounds of double white From spring until late summer and beyond showy mounds of double white Baby’s Breath flowers with a delicate pink blush. Read more about Gypsophilla paniculata ‘Festival Pink’
‘Festival Star’ is a new Gypsophilla bred for the garden rather than for the florists shop. It produces mounds of double white From spring until late summer and beyond showy mounds of double white Baby’s Breath flowers. Read more about Gypsophilla paniculata ‘Festival Star’
“Helichrysum splendidum is indeed a splendid shrub, with shining silver grey foliage and a mass of golden everlasting flowers in midsummer.” PlantzAfrica
Many plants tolerate shade but may not flower freely in that position. Heucheras have such dynamic and interesting foliage that they make up for the lack of flowers with their extraordinarily diverse colours and textures. Recent breeding work has brought some startling new cultivars to the fore. Read more about HEUCHERAS
Evergreen and fast growing it soon makes a good sized clump. Small, white bells are carried on 30cm stems during late spring and early summer. Happy in a lightly shaded spot which isn’t allowed to dry out it also makes a wonderful pot plant. Read more about Heuchera ‘Forever Purple’
Frothy masses of white flowers are held over startlingly beautiful foliage mounds. Leaves are reddish brown with a lime green edge that darkens in the colder weather. Read more about Heucherella ‘Solar Eclipse’
Large, red centered, yellow bordered leaves change to lime green with red centers in the summer for a very beautiful foliage foil to other perennials and bedding annuals. White ‘coral-bell’ flowers are produced in spring. Read more about Heucherella ‘Stoplight’
