| When planning a garden of heather, begin by making | | | | formality that is often created with more typical |
| an outline of your area first. If you're planning a | | | | plants. In the Northeast, Taxus, Rhododendron and |
| border, start from the back of the bed with the | | | | Juniper are commonly used; heather is a natural |
| taller plants and work forward; if the bed is to be | | | | companion to these evergreens. Use them to hide |
| viewed from all sides, begin sketching your design | | | | bare branches at the base of shrubs, to fill voids |
| from the center out. If you have room, planting | | | | between larger shrubs, and to bring entire plantings |
| varieties in odd-numbered groups is most effective. | | | | away from the house. A long, curving line is more |
| Even numbers of plants often make a new garden | | | | natural and can be creatively designed with the |
| look too balanced and unnatural. Draw circles outlining | | | | different heights and foliage colors of heather. The |
| the area that the plants will fill out at maturity (about | | | | evergreen foliage can be the finishing touch needed |
| 3-5 years) growing into a weed smothering mass. | | | | to bring a foundation planting together. |
| Roughly figure 18" spacing when determining how | | | | PERENNIAL BEDS AND BORDERS - Gardens of |
| many plants you will need (sq. ft. x .44 is the formula) | | | | perennials often lack visual interest during the winter |
| for a large bed. Choose the taller growing varieties | | | | months when the herbaceous species are dormant, |
| for the back or center of the bed and work your | | | | waiting for spring's call of warmer temperatures. In |
| way to the edges, keeping in mind that the plants will | | | | the late summer months when many perennials are |
| grow into a solid mass of foliage leaving little bare | | | | waning, many of the Callunas are flowering heaviest. |
| ground exposed. Grays and dark greens absorb light; | | | | The structure and foliage color of these evergreens |
| reds, gold and glossy foliage reflect. You want | | | | can also be used to an advantage. The winter |
| contrasting foliage to define each grouping, so | | | | blooming Ericas are natural selections for winter color. |
| choose a gold or other colored foliage variety, then | | | | Erica carnea and E. x darlyensis start forming buds in |
| choose a silver, gray or dark green for the next | | | | early summer, that open as early as November in |
| grouping. Flower color is not as important as you may | | | | shades of pink, rose or white. These long lasting |
| think but offset the mauves with white or light pinks | | | | flowers are colorful all winter until the first of May |
| if the plants are to bloom at the same time. Use the | | | | when many of the spring bulbs are in full bloom. The |
| winter blooming Erica's' glossy green foliage as a | | | | soil requirements are a bit different than those of |
| buffer between a lot of Calluna with colored foliage. | | | | some perennials but you may be able to provide |
| This may all sound a bit confusing on the printed | | | | them with a site that has a well drained soil that has |
| page, but don't let it be because they are all | | | | not had a lot of fertilizer and manure added. |
| compatible with each other. Arrange them until the | | | | NATIVE AND WILD GARDENS - Fifteen plants of |
| placement looks right to you. You may want to plant | | | | Calluna vulgaris were originally planted some 80 years |
| other types of plants in the heather garden. Dwarf | | | | ago at the edge of a pine barren here on Cape Cod. |
| conifers are natural companions with interesting | | | | Over the years, seedlings have taken a foothold in |
| foliage and habit of growth. The vertical forms they | | | | the sandy native soil and have naturalized . Little care |
| achieve are welcome in the heather garden. Other | | | | has been given to this area that is now over 80 feet |
| companion plants are: low growing Sedum's, Iberis, | | | | long and 30 feet wide. The natural succession that |
| Hypericum, Lavender, Sempervivum, Allium, Arabis, | | | | has occurred has left this area with 3-4 dominant |
| Artemisia, Dianthus, Nepeta, Santolina, and Thyme to | | | | natural cultivars which bloom in August and is |
| name a few perennials. Compact Cotoneaster, | | | | spectacular. The same effect can be achieved by |
| Vaccinum, Cytisus and other leafy shrubs can also be | | | | planting some of the taller cultivars we offer, spaced |
| interesting companion plants in a garden of heather. | | | | about 2' apart. Prune heavily the first 3-4 springs to |
| FOUNDATION PLANTINGS - Use heather in a | | | | obtain a broad sweep of thick foliage and heavy |
| foundation planting to eliminate the straight lines and | | | | flowering. |