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I’ve fallen quite in love with this dainty-looking, but vigorous ground-cover. I’m not quite sure whether I have Muehlenbeckia axillaris or complexa – or both – in my garden. Regular French garden centers sell it cheaply but almost always without…
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Aizoacea & Mesembryanthemum
The Aizoaceae family is endemic to South Africa and has brought forth a multitude of mostly low-growing, spreading plants with fleshy leaves and bright flowers that work well as ground cover on dry soils in full sun. Several of its…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…