Plant ID Week 5, Pt.1

Plants from plant ID class two weeks ago. Most of them, anyway.

Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead'; lavender

(source: aromatherapy-at-home.com)

Scented ground cover shrub with medicinal and culinary uses. Flowers mid-summer.

Size: 45x60 cm

Cultivation notes:

Plant November-March, add a 5cm layer of mulch and water in drought. Prefers full sun and semi-fertile well-drained soil.

Viburnum tinus 'Eve price'; viburnum

Large evergreen hedging shrub with white scented flowers in the winter.

RHS award of garden merit

Size: 3x3 m

Cultivation notes:

Plant November-March, add a 5cm layer of mulch and water in drought.

--

Has its place, but appears currently rather overused.

Abelia x grandiflora; abelia

(Abelia x grandiflora)

Tall shrub with shiny foliage and white flowers. Long flowering period (still in bloom in November!)

RHS award of garden merit. 

Size: 3x4 m

Cultivation notes:

Plant November-March, add a 5cm layer of mulch and water in drought. Prefers full sun.

Cytissus x praecox 'Allgold'; broom

(Image source)

Fast-growing but relatively short-lived tall shrub that tolerates seaside conditions. Abundant dark yellow flowers mid- to late spring.

RHS award of garden merit.

Size: 1,2x1,5 m

Cultivation notes:

Plant November-March, add a 5cm layer of mulch and water in drought. Full sun, resents transplanting, so be sure you know where you want it.

Aucuba japonica; spotted laurel

Aucuba japonica

Evergreen shrub with variegated foliage. Useful as ground cover in shade or semi-shade.

Size: 3x3 m

Cultivation notes:

Plant November-March, add a 5cm layer of mulch and water in drought. Variegated vars prefer partial shade. Prune back hard in spring.

Pyracantha coccinea; firethorn

(a very small sample)

Very thorny shrub, used as hedging, wall plants and in shrubberies. White flowers in May followed by showy red berries in the autumn.

Size: 4x4 m

Cultivation notes:

Plant November-March, add a 5cm layer of mulch and water in drought. Prune diligently lest it takes over.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Mme. Emile Moulliére'

Flowers become pink-tinged with age.

Shrub for shade and semi-shade, with large panicles of white flowers. Tolerates seaside.

RHS award of garden merit.

Size: 60 cm x 1 m

Cultivation notes:

Plant November-March, add a 5cm layer of mulch and water in drought. Flower colour of white hydrangeas is not affected by the pH-dependent relative availability of Al+ ions in the soil, unlike coloured vars., which produce blue flowers in acid (pH <5.5) soils. Soils with pH above 5.5 give pink flowers.

Heuchera 'Licorice'

Note metallic sheen.

Herbaceous ground cover perennial with long-lasting, frost hardy dark purple foliage. Flowers in the summer.

Cultivation notes:

Mulch annually, lift & replant in late summer or early autumn.

Verbena bonariensis; vervain

A better image here 

Very tall and dramatic short-lived perennial with purple flowers late summer. Fast-growing for a quick vertical accent/instant impact.