27.06.2023 - 08:48 / aberdeengardening.co.uk
This beautiful deciduous shrub Ceratostigma Willmottianum with cobalt blue flowers from late July till the end of September is one of those plants when once seen you just must have.
The variety is fully hardy down to minus 15 degrees Celsius, the colder winters in the north east can damage top growth, however new growth will emerge from the base in mid Spring. Willmottianum named by the great plant collector E H Wilson after Miss Ellen Ann Willmott a celebrated English gardener (1860-1934)
The shrub has an open branched habit and slender bristly mid green stems, the purple margined leaves are mid to dark green turning red in Autumn.This is one of those irritating shrubs, which does in fact survive in our Aberdeen garden. Problem is it takes so long to get going after the Winter, the plant just does not have the time to develop to the flowering stage. I did leave it in the same sunny position for a couple of years before giving up on it.
However I potted it up using John Innes compost, ensuring good drainage.I over Wintered the plant in the unheated greenhouse. where the growth started much earlier, and by the time I placed the plant in a sunny position at the beginning of May whilst still in its pot, the growth was lush. The plant flowered beautifully from the first week of August through till mid October. I will now not be without this little beauty of which the jury is out as to whether it is in fact a shrub or a perennial. For me, its a shrub!
Hardiness – Fully hardy
Soil – Any well drained fertile soil
Position – Full sun
Height – 90cm/3ft
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Whats in the garden today Thursday 7th April.
Ribes Sanguineum White Icicle. I look forward to this shrub starting to develop the