Vinca minor 'Bowles's Variety'
lesser periwinkle (syn. 'La Grave')
- Position: full sun or partial shade
- Soil: any but very dry soil
- Rate of growth: average to fast-growing
- Flowering period: April to September
- Hardiness: fully hardy
Lovely, lavender-blue flowers over a long period from April to September and dark green leaves. The long, trailing stems of this prostrate, evergreen shrub are excellent for suppressing weeds in sun or partial shade. Allegedly the best blue-flowered variety and less invasive than Vinca major, it's particularly suitable for smaller gardens. - Garden care: To prevent the plant from becoming invasive cut back any unwanted shoots in spring.
Eventual height & spread
 - Crocus)
Goes well with
- Do I have time to plant vinca this year, or should I wait for spring? And do I plant 4 per sq mtr? Thanks
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Loadsapete
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Hello there Yes you can still plant now, in fact the autumn is an ideal time as the soil is still warm enough to encourage root growth. Planting densities really depends on how long you are willing to wait for the plants to fill the space, but vincas are quite fast growing so that should be fine. Hope thia helps
- Non poisonous plants for pots please Hi I wonder if you can help. I have a Nursery school and am looking for some plants I can plant in pots, that are in a partly sunny, partly shady spot. They have to be plants that aren't poisonous and provide interest over as much of the year as possible. I really like the plants in you ready made border section on the website site, particularly shady pink, sunny pink and keep it cool. Could you please tell me if any of these plants are suitable for my needs? Many Thanks Joanne
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Happy Hearts Day Nursery
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Hello Joanne, I think your best option would be to opt for mainly evergreen shrubs as these will provide year-round interest. You can then infill with some of the more colourful perennials. As long as the spot does not get too much shade, then here are some of your best options. Hebe http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.hebe/ Vinca http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.vinca/ Pachysandra terminalis http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/prices-that-have-been-pruned/pachysandra-terminalis-/classid.3288/ evergreen ferns http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/ferns/plcid.309/vid.228/ Rhododendrons (choose the smaller varieties for pots) http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.rhododendron/start.1/sort.0/cat.plants/ I hope this gives you a few ideas. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
- Plants to replace a lawn Dear Sir I have a small lawn at the front of my garden and want to use plants other than grass. Can you give me some ideas of plants that could give a low effect of green or some planting scheme that would look ok ? Richard
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richard wood
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Hello Richard, There are loads of things that you could plant in this area - here are some of the best. Pachysandra http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/prices-that-have-been-pruned/pachysandra-terminalis-/classid.3288/ Lamium http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/lamium-maculatum-beacon-silver/classid.3133/ Cotoneaster dammeri http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/cotoneaster-dammeri-/classid.1021/ Cotoneaster horizontalis http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/cotoneaster-horizontalis-/classid.1028/ Ajuga http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.ajuga/ Vinca http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.vinca/ Liriope http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/liriope-muscari-/classid.3173/ Bergenia http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.bergenia/ Heuchera http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.heuchera/ Calluna http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.calluna/ Geranium http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/mediterranean-plants/geranium-sanguineum-var.-striatum/classid.2000007127/ I hope this gives you a few ideas, Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
- Dwarf Hydrangeas Hello I was just wondering if there is such a thing as 'Dwarf' Hydrangeas? If so, are they available in different colours, and how high do they grow? We have a curved walled bed that is about 30' long, and we would like put in some colourful flowering but dwarf plants (about 6-10" high), that require little or no maintenance. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Kind regards Rahme
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Tim and Rahme
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Hello Rahme, I'm afraid there are no Hydrangeas that will stay that small, and most newly planted things will need some maintenance. Having said that here are a couple of plants which might be worth considering Erica http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/heathers/erica-%C3%97-darleyensis-j.w.-porter/classid.567/ Erica http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/heathers/erica-carnea-whitehall/classid.539/ Bergenia http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.bergenia/ Vinca http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.vinca/ Ajuga http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.ajuga/ I hope this gives you a few ideas. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
- Help for a shady damp spot please Hi I'm looking for plants for a damp shady spot in my garden. It's a raised, north-facing bed and stays damp most of the year, and the soil is compost-rich. I'd love to get some colour in there as I look out on to it from my kitchen window so I was wondering about Hollyhocks, Flag Irises or maybe Heuchera? I also have a very big slug problem though - tried Sambucus nigra last year and it was eaten! Please, what can you suggest? I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards Mary
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mary culhane
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Hello Mary, Most flowering plants prefer a sunnier spot, and few plants can cope if the soil remains too wet, however you could consider any of the following Alchemilla http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.alchemilla/ Ferns http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/ferns/plcid.309/ Helleborus http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.helleborus/ Hydrangea http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.hydrangea/ Persicaria http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.persicaria/ Rhododendron http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.rhododendron/ Vinca http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.vinca/ I hope this gives you a few ideas. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
- What can I plant? I have a 1 ft wide border of poor quality soil along the edge of a patio which is adjacent to our neighbour's decking. I was wondering whether you could advise what I could plant. Thanks Anna
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Anna Trundle
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Hello Anna, Ideally you should dig in as much composted organic matter as possible to enrich the soil before you plant, and then (if you don't mind plants spilling out from the border), you could plant any of the following. Lavandula, Hebe, Hypericum or Vinca.
Crocus Helpdesk
- What plants for a neglected patch? Hello, We are trying to improve a rather nasty mud patch in our garden. It is in the shade and the soil is very, very dry - we have had to use a pick axe to turn it over. My question is what types of plants would be suitable for this terrain? Kind Regards, Mark
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Mark Siddle
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Hello Mark, All plants will need a degree of comfort, so the best thing to do would be to improve the soil by digging in as much organic matter as you can. Once you have done this you can plant tough, low maintenance things like Ajuga, Alchemilla mollia, Aucuba japonica, Berberis, Bergenia, Euonymus fortunei, Lamium, Sarcococca, Skimmia, Viburnum davidii or Vincas. It will be very important though that these are kept really well watered for at least the first year until they have had a chance to become established. I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
- Help! I need plant ideas for a small, very shallow flower bed in full shade Hi, Please can you suggest plants that will do well in mostly full shade, moist soil, and a flower bed that is only 10-15cm deep. I live in London and have a very small courtyard garden with very high walls on all four sides. Many thanks. Kind regards Marianne
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Marianne Nix-Griffiths
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Hello Marianne, I'm afraid that very few plants do well in heavy shade and the best plants are going to be really tough ones. Even these though may not survive if the conditions are too harsh. Here are some of your best options, which might be worth a try - Bergenia, Euonymus, Vinca and Lamium.I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
- Which plants are Deer proof? I want a list of Deer proof plants please. It`s either a change in habitat or environment, but I get total devastation now and in the last two years they come up the drive.
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david
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Deer can be a real problem and deer proof plants are usually thorny, poisonous or simply taste awful, but it is hard to give a definitive list as you might get the odd deer with unusual tastes which might like the bitter taste! Below is a list of good plants that generally are quite successful though. Cornus varieties, Rhus, Sophora, Solanum, Berberis, Rosemary, Buxus, Cotoneaster, Ilex, Pyracantha, Garrya, Juniperus, Nandina, Elaeagnus, Aralia, Aucuba, Cortaderia, Yucca, Santolina, Hypericum, Myrtle, Vinca, Achillea, Digitalis, Echinacea and Dryopteris. Finally, fencing is one method to protect garden crops from deer. Since deer jump, you need an 8-foot fence for best results or stout chicken-wire fencing securely around smaller garden plots. Alternatively, fence the area with a thorny shrub, preferably something that will grow to at least 6 feet. Deer eat roses and some thorns but hawthorn, boxwood and holly will exclude them. Deer are also deterred by dogs, hanging aluminum foil, mirrors, wood that hits objects in the wind and other noise-makers. Some old-fashioned repellents are human hair and blood and bonemeal. Hanging bars of fragrant deodorant soap from branches may work. Other well-known deer repellents are mothballs or moth flakes spread on the ground or put in mesh bags for hanging in a tree. Unfortunately though, no repellent is 100 percent effective, especially if the deer population is high and deer are starving.
Crocus
- What can I plant that the deers won't eat? What types of plants do deer not like? If you could help me out I could greatly appreciate it.
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Kelly L. Sliker
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Deer can be a real problem and deer proof plants are usually thorny, poisonous or simply taste awful. It is hard to give a definitive list as you might get the odd deer with unusual taste which might like a bitter taste, but the following is a list of plants that generally are quite successful. Cornus varieties, Rhus, Sophora, Solanum, Berberis, Rosemary, Buxus, Cotoneaster, Ilex, Pyracantha, Garrya, Juniperus, Nandina, Eleagnus, Aralia, Aucuba, Cortaderia, Yucca, Santolina, Hypericum, Myrtle, Vinca, Achillea, Digitalis, Echinacea and Dryopteris. Finally fencing is one method to protect garden crops from deer. Since deer jump, you need an 8-foot fence for best results or stout chicken-wire fencing securely around smaller garden plots. Alternatively, fence the area with a thorny shrub, preferably something that will grow to at least 6 feet. Deer do eat roses and some other thorns but hawthorn, boxwood and holly tend to keep them out. Deer are also deterred by dogs, hanging aluminum foil, mirrors, wood that hits objects in the wind and other noise-makers. Some old-fashioned repellents are human hair and blood and bonemeal. Hanging bars of fragrant deodorant soap from branches may work. Other well-known deer repellents are mothballs or moth flakes spread on the ground or put in mesh bags for hanging in a tree. Unfortunately though, no repellent is 100 percent effective, especially if the deer population is high and deer are starving.
Crocus
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