When the seasonal song of most flower plants is already sung, his party begin Heather and Erica. The bright blossoms of these plants will turn into a fabulous winter garden in any balcony or terrace.
Frost looked into the garden at night and silvered ornamental grasses, plant, spurges and Heather ‘Twin Girls’. At a temperature of about zero plants can not hide, but in the threat of frost they should be brought into the room.
Sea strewn with purple, white and red flowers mini-bushes — that’s what is now evident at the entrance to any nursery or garden center. Many gardeners immediately recognize him as Heather (Calluna) is a flowering plant that blooms at the end of the season. However, if you look closely, a more accurate picture emerges: the bright beauty captivates not only Heather, but also his sister Eric. Actually, it blooms in the spring. But in garden centers this Princess is most often brought from European nurseries, where she appears in all its glory at the same time as Heather. Here’s the answer!
Brother and sister can be distinguished by external data:
- Heather scaly leaves and open flowers saucers (although there are plants and flowers that do not open until the end, keeping the shape of buds),
- Erica also needle-like leaves and bells of flowers.
Particularly free-flowering elegant Erica (Erica gracilis), so it is most often found in potted culture. However, the beauty does not tolerate intense cold, so on the eve of frosts it is necessary to put in the house. This recommendation applies to all representatives of the species, even quite cold-resistant Erica rosy (Erica carnea), because the earthen clod in the container freezes quickly.
Compositions with Heather and Erica
Heather and Erica-team players: best look big companies. Different species and cultivars flower color varies from light to dark purple, and sometimes red and white and all the plants are perfectly combined with each other. Another brother and sister are unsurpassed in the Quartet with ornamental herbs and autumn ornamental herbaceous perennials. By the way, the stems of our heroes are very flexible, so they make great wreaths.
Left: Basket with Erica graceful (Erica gracilis) of different varieties – a spectacular accessory for the terrace or balcony, and as a gift it is quite suitable. Important: before planting the plants in the basket, lay it with a film. On the right: A beautiful wreath of decorative apples, Heather, eucalyptus leaves and lilac fruits will delight the eye in the garden and on the terrace or balcony. The first ring made of straw tied with wire to the branches of the eucalyptus and Heather, then secure the fruits and Apple on the wire. The art object is ready!
From branches of Erica and Heather can make a cute wreath or weave a garland. To do this, you will need a wire frame, a thin thread for fixing and pruner.
The door is decorated with two pots with profusely blooming Erica graceful (Erica gracilis) ‘Beauty Queens’. They are attached to the old towel rack with purple twine in tone colors. A couple of organic complement wreath of Heather.
Snow-white trio perfectly cheer up on cloudy days. For the ensemble to find the old enamel mugs — two plant cyclamen and Heather ‘Alicia’, and the third use as a candle holder.
Heather ‘Hilde’ with lilac buds perfectly blooms green company of boxwood and ivy. To emphasize the natural beauty of the ensemble, plant plants in a simple wooden box, and between them put overgrown with lichen branches.
Heather perfectly with filigree feather and violets with Burgundy flowers. Instead of traditional pots, the “houses” of plants are a basket and a galvanized tub, which emphasize the rustic naturalness of the ensemble.
Lighted candles in glass containers are stylishly illuminated by two Bush of Erica (Erica carnea).
Tip: decorate pots with plants pieces of bark, put on a tray and decorate the composition of the leaves and fruits of beech.
Important: compositions with Heather and Erica are suitable only for glazed terraces and balconies, because the frosts for these plants are fatal. However, if you are not going to plant them in the open ground in the spring, you can leave the bushes in the garden: even frozen or dried, they remain decorative, the flowers of sleeping beauties do not fall down and retain a rich color.
Tips and secrets
Heather and Erica in nature grow on poor nutrients, mainly sandy acidic soil. Therefore, ideally, plants should be planted in a substrate for rhododendrons, mixed with sand in the proportion of 3:1.
For the winter “Pets” should be put in cool but not freeze the room and from time to time to water to soil ball does not dry up. And again, these dwarf shrubs love freedom and do not tolerate excess fertilizer, extreme heat and drought.
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