Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Evergreen Creeping Heath or Heather



My creeping heath is starting to bloom and every spring I
debate about pulling it up and planting something in its place.
I wonder if it is worthy of the space that it occupies in my
small flower beds. It is located on a difficult banking area that
mounds around the garage and was put there originally to
help keep the bank from washing away. It is such a slow
grower that it would not have prevented any erosion but it is
the one flower that blooms before others and even blooms with
snow on it and around it.



Creeping Heath or Heather Erica Carnea hybrid

It is a low growing ground cover that is suppose to bloom
from November into early spring but I find that mine blooms
best from late February into early spring. Planted in mass it
would be beautiful as on the hills of Scotland but by itself and
I have three scattered along the bank it does not make the
statement that I wanted.



It is easy to grow and will grow in even in very poor soil which is
another reason it is beside the garage where there is gravel and
rocky clay soil. It is an evergreen plant that has thousands of
tiny bell shaped flowers.
There are other plants that could take its place now that the
banking is stable but the debate is still going on as to digging it
up and replacing it.



7 comments:

Bren Haas said...

I noticed mine was just starting to get some buds on them this morning before the rain arrived. Can't wait to share some photos of this too. LOVE YOUR GARDEN... thanks for sharing.

Cathy S. said...

Ah but it's pretty, don't dig it up!

RURAL said...

Could you just add some more plants for bigger impact? It is pretty, and it does sound like a big job to dig it all up.

Jen

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I do think heather looks very nice this time of year. I haven't got any in our garden, but our neighbors have it. It's just covered in blooms. I can't find any area to put any in, so I just enjoy everyone else's.

Anonymous said...

I do this all the time, Lona. Debate with myself about whether a plant is worth the space it takes up. Whether a replacement plant would be an improvement. If I do dig it up, am I going to replant it and if so, where? Or am I going to throw it away, or give it away? Decisions, decisions. Your heath looks identical to mine, also blooming,planted on an obscure bank in crappy soil. It was there when my family and I moved here 11 years ago. So I guess you could say it's going to stay. Good luck with your decision making. :)

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

That is really pretty! I have seen plants in Home Depot and lowes but I have never tried growing one in my garden.

Maria Berg said...

In some parts of Sweden we do have them like you wrote "beautiful as on the hills of Scotland". I saw them in Scotland too when I 1987 I think was doing some course for the University in Edinburgh.
I love Scotland and hope to bee back one day.
/MB