Category: Plants
-
Plumbago auriculata / capensis
Plumbago auriculata or capensis is a native of South Africa where it is typically part of the undergrowth under larger shrubs and bushes. It has become quite popular as a smallish climber in regions with mild winters. The foliage will be killed off by frost but a well-established plant can withstand up to -8°C, growing…
-
Linum
Very lovely little flowers, planted as green manure or as perennials: Linum usitatissimum Sown in the fall of 2022 as green manure it covered wide swathes in the garden in dainty blue flowers during May of 2023. Very pretty but not very long-lasting which is why I switched to other kinds of Linum: Linum perenne…
-
Tagetes patula / erecta
I used to find the tidy orange marigold borders in Swiss gardens incredibly stuffy. I also did not like the scent of marigolds, so I would have never have planted them. But I’ve tried them here as companion plants in the veggie garden and if nothing else they do make a splendid show of color…
-
Caryopteris clandonensis
Caryopteris is one of my favorite shrubs, but for a long time I thought it was a somewhat misguided beginner’s purchase: Filippi only gives it a mere 2.5 of 6 on the drought-resistance scale. However, in this garden it has turned out to be surprisingly tough and has even survived under less than ideal circumstances.…
-
Calamintha nepeta
One of those plants that “ought” to work here but just didn’t. Calamintha (or Clinopodium) nepeta is a minty herb, growing across the Mediterranean and North Africa, as well as in more Northern regions. It grows on moderately dry rocky terrain and walls and loves alcaline, calcareous soils. Technically perfect conditions for it to grow…
-
Bougainvillea spectabilis x glabra “Violet de Mèze”
Bougainvillea is one of those quintessential “Mediterranean” plants and a Must-Have to cover courtyard walls or fences in large, bright, pink, purple, red, or orange flowers all through the summer. Bougainvillea is generally not frost-hardy and since we do get some frost in this area I chose the variety “Violet de Mèze” at the yearly…