• LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Garden Plant of the Month of September, Heather

13 August 2015

Heather (Calluna vulgaris) is the Garden Plant of the Month of September and gives the garden plenty of late summer colour.  In September, most of the summer flowers in the garden or on the terrace have peaked, and it's time for heather to flourish. And extra fun: bees can replenish their honey stocks just before winter! 

Carpet
Heather (Calluna vulgaris) is a European classic native to the coastal areas of Western Europe, Great Britain and Ireland, as well as being one of Scotland's most prolific plants. It grows in beautiful long shoots with shingled leaves and small symmetrical flowers. Its purple and pink flowers have a slightly weathered appearance and that gives both the plants and the countryside a touch and natural look. In the garden, the plants provide a hardy carpet that give a calm and authentic effect, whilst in pots, heather becomes a robust eye-catcher.

Nectar
Heather will flower from September to early November. The flowers contain an abundance of nectar which enables the bees an opportunity to stock up before the winter begins.

Pure nature
Heather is a perennial plant that can survive for 30-40 years in the wild.  It is a little higher and less dense than other types of heath, and this gives it a strong natural appearance. In the wild, the purple and pink flowers create beautiful landscapes. In the garden, heather has the same effect, providing a wonderful contrast to other green and varied leaves; its foliage deepening and intensifying as the year progresses. Heathers are incredibly versatile and look fantastic in pots and rockeries, as well as providing stunning ground cover alongside flowering perennials and flowerbeds.

Care Tips

  • Heather loves the light -the more light it gets. The more beautiful the leaves.
  • It is a natural survivor and can tolerate very little care and poor soil, but it does prefer well drained, acidic conditions.
  • Heather can be planted any time of the year, provided the soil is not frozen, and should be pruned every year after flowering. 

More information about heather and other garden plants can be found on Thejoyofplants.co.uk 

Garden Plant of the Month
Heather (Calluna vulgaris) is the Garden Plant of the Month in September. "Garden Plant of the Month" is an initiative of Thejoyofplants.co.uk. Growers and specialists in the green sector select the monthly garden plant and puts it in the spotlight with the purpose to inspire and cultivate enthusiasm in the industry. A garden without plants is not a garden.