Calluna vulgaris

Scotch heather is a genus of one species of evergreen shrub from N. and W. Europe to Siberia. They are low and spreading or ground-covering plants that are easy to grow and produce awesome displays when flowering from late summer until late autumn. There are more than 500 varieties to this date and more new ones are bred every year in order to achieve better looking and performing plants. There are several series by various breeders who collected their inventions under one trademark.

GARDEN GIRLS^® is a fantastic series of modern heather – bud-bloomers. They are bred by Kurt Kramer in Germany and they all feature these qualities:
- strong growth into dense shrubs that perfectly cover the ground beneath
- profuse flowering from late summer until late autumn or even early winter
- flowers do not open but remain in large vase-shaped buds that are resistant to bad weather conditions
- reliably evergreen
- perfectly hardy in both open ground and containers
Our assortment consists of these varieties (upon current availability):
- Alicia – large, pure white buds Sep-Nov, erect, compact growth, mid green leaves
- Amethyst – crimson to lilac red flowers Sep-Nov, erect, compact growth, mid green leaves
- Athene – deep purple red flowers Sep-Nov, erect, compact growth, rich green leaves
- Bettina – pure white flowers Sep-Nov, erect, compact growth, fresh green leaves
- Helena – large white flowers later than Alicia but remains nice longer, uniform, erect growth, mid green leaves
- Klaudine – large white buds Sep-Dec, spreading but dense growth, rich green leaves
- Madonna – large white buds Sep-Nov, spreading but dense growth, mid green leaves
- Rosita – large pink buds Sep-Nov, , erect, compact growth, mid green leaves
- Sandy – pure white buds Sep-Nov, spreading, low growth, top leaves are golden yellow, lower parts are light green
- Zora – no buds or flowers but rich golden yellow leaves that turn fiery orange-red in winter, erect growth

Heather likes open, sunny sites in light, well-drained, humus-rich, acid soil. The ground might seem dry in summer but it always remains partially moist thanks to heather branches that cover the soil around well enough preventing it from drying out. They flower late in the season and should be pruned in early spring to encourage new growth from the middle of the plant. Unpruned twigs grow too long and their older parts become woody with minimum foliage. Cut back last year’s growths leaving maximum of 1-1.5cm of flowering branch. Fully hardy to USDA zone 5, perhaps more.

Last update: 09-10-2012; 01-09-2019