KG494 Print Combined

Perennials that pack a punch
New: hellebores
Winter roses are one of the mainstay heroes in the
garden over the next few months, with flowers
and buds bursting from ground up. Many of the
new hybrids have been developed to look good
all year round in pots and tubs – just avoid placing
them in intense, baking heat throughout summer.
Helleborus orientalis hybrids readily set seed, so if
the conditions are right, expect baby plants to pop
up in future seasons.
Little bothers hellebores, other than the odd
infestation of aphids. Keep an eye out for these on
fresh growth.
Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘Marlon’ – dusky rosecoloured
buds will appear this month and then
open to large, outward-facing, cream flowers
that change to green as they age. Deep glossygreen
leaves provide interest all year round.
Helleborus ‘Isabella’s Charm’ – blooms of
rich rose-pink fade out to burgundy. Nice
upright foliage.
Helleborus ‘Madame Lemonnier’ – an absolute
ripper with exceptionally large, outward-facing
peachy-pink flowers, which age to tones of fuchsia
pink. Very, very pretty.
Daphne ‘Perfume Princess’
With a perfume that fills a room, this is one plant
that has its place in many people’s hearts. Daphne
‘Perfume Princess’ has been on the scene a year
or two and is an absolute champion, seeming
more tolerant of heat and sun than its cousins.
Flowers appear as soon as the temperatures drop
and keep coming for a number of months. Once
it finishes flowering, it can handle a light prune to
maintain a lush green habit for the rest of the year.
Daphnes prefer an acid-based fertiliser, so feed
them with citrus or azalea and rhododendron food.
Osmanthus delavayi ‘Pearly Gates’
Here is another hardy shrub that ticks the box for
having a neat and tidy growth habit, along with
a flurry of heavily perfumed white flowers in the
gardener.kiwi
colder months. Happy planted in the sun or partial
shade, evergreen trims up into lovely shapes, such
as round balls, topiaries or plant it as a hedge.
Euryops pectinatus
This pretty daisy hails from South Africa and
boasts masses of bright yellow flowers that cover
the silvery foliage through winter and spring.
Hardy and easy to grow, all this plant needs is sun
and free-draining soil. Forming a mid-sized shrub,
it’s an ideal option for coastal gardens where the
soil is often shallow and not very fertile.
Euryops pectinatus ‘Sunshine’ – a neat member
of the family, this variety differs as it has larger,
slightly darker yellow flowers and rich green
foliage as opposed to silver grey.
Camellia
These anchor-tenant shrubs continue to bloom
through thick and thin. Camellias flourish in a
moisture-retentive soil, in a position away from
the intense midday sun. Full shade suits them,
as does life in containers and tubs. Prune as
required to reduce the size every few seasons.
Camellia japonica ‘K. Sawada’ – large, formal
flowers shine in winter through until mid-spring.
A perfect plant for those who love pure white
blooms on plants with strong, tidy form. This
camellia was named after the world-renowned
camellia breeder, Kosaku Sawada, a Japanese-
American commonly known as ‘Mr Camellia’.
Camellia japonica ‘Takanini’ – an early
flowering, slightly scented variety that has tight,
frilly dark-red flowers that open evenly over a
period of months. It has a neat and tidy habit,
which makes it ideal for tubs, planters and
medium-sized hedges.
Eryngium ‘Lilac Joy’
For lovers of cottage-type plants and lavender
flowers, this wallflower hybrid is awesome for
winter and spring colour. A mid-sized evergreen
perennial, it forms an open mound, from which
stem after stem of flowers appear for up to six
months. Once the plant has finished flowering,
Above from left ‘Sunshine’ is a variety
of Euryops pectinatus that has larger
flowers and rich green foliage;
Camellia japonica ‘K. Sawada’ was
named after a famous camellia
breeder.
Opposite clockwise from left Daphne
‘Perfume Princess’ is a particuarly
hardy variety of this winter favourite;
New on the scene is Helleborus
‘Isabella’s Charm’; New Helleborus x
ericsmithii ‘Marlon’ has ongoing visual
appeal; Hardy Osmanthus delavayi
‘Pearly Gates’ delivers on scent.
kiwigardener 29