Colour, Texture, and Pollinators – This Duo Has It All

It only takes two wonderful modern hybrids of old garden favourites to prepare a garden and containers for an unforgettable spring performance. 

Nandina domestica ‘Obsession’

There is an old legend that says planting a Nandina domestica in a pot close to your front door will bring you happiness and prosperity. We cannot vouch for this, but planting the dwarf and very colourful Nandina ‘Obsession’ will surely bring you years of joy! This is a feisty little evergreen dwarf reaching a height of about 60 – 70 cm. The lacy foliage changes colour from gold to deep red in winter, and new growth sprouting in early spring is bright red, changing to a fresh mint green in summer – one is, in fact, never sure which colour is predominant on this lovely little foliage plant! 

Growing tips 

• Plant in full sun to light shade. 
• Any soil type is good if enriched with compost and if it drains well. 
• Water regularly – about twice a week. 
• Feed in spring and autumn with a general fertiliser. 

Plant a row of them as an informal low hedge, dot them around in gravel gardens, and fill pots with them so they grow into beautiful little specimen plants. These plants will flourish in virtually any climate, from temperate to hot subtropical regions to cold winter regions, and will grow in windy areas or spots like courtyards with different sun patterns during the day. 

Lavandula ‘The Princess’ 

Our love for lavenders and their calming fragrance is set in stone, and we will never stop planting them! Although there are many types to choose from, the award-winning Lavandula ‘The Princess’ tops the popularity charts with its vivid pink flower bracts on upright stems above very neat and compact grey-leaved plants of about 70 x 70 cm. They have a very long flowering period from late winter/early spring to summer, and if cut back gently when done and given a good feed, they will repeat flower in autumn. ‘The Princess’, which is moderately frost tolerant, will reign supreme in pots, in bold patches in a mixed border, near fruit trees and as a low hedge near a veggie patch where it will attract pollinators. 

Growth tips 

• Very well-draining sandy soil enriched with compost is needed. 
• Full sun for at least 5 hours will create flower bombs of pink. 
• Water regularly – about twice a week.