<-------- Title of Page

(o) in front of Page Name or Index Page No in this Main Menu Table indicates that all pages linked to from that cell have content.

SPRING FOLIAGE COLOUR
with Foliage Stalk and Form

Index Page No.

AUTUMN FOLIAGE COLOUR
with Foliage Stalk and Form

Index Page No.

CULTIVAR GROUP with Flowers
Erica Hardy Heaths:-

Index Page No.

CULTIVAR GROUP with Flowers
Erica Hardy Heaths:-

Index Page No.

HEATHER EVERGREEN SHRUB
INDEX GALLERY PAGES

Index Page No.

Site Map

Introduction

Index Page No.

Click on Colour below to change to its Heather Flower Colour Page with Flower and Flower Stalk

Spr-Bronze

1

(o) Aut-Bronze

(o) 1

Erica garforthensis

(o) 1

Erica tetralix

1

CULTIVAR GROUP with Flowers

FLOWERING SEASON
with Flower and Flower Stalk

(o) H0
White

Index Page No.

(o) H1 Amethyst

Index Page No.

H2
Mauve

Index Page No.

(o) Spr-Green

(o) 1

(o) Aut-Green

(o)
1 2

Erica gaudificans

(o) 1

Erica umbellata

1

Andromeda

(o) 1

(o) January
Winter

(o)
1 2

(o) 1

(o) 1

1

Spr-Grey

1

(o) Aut-Grey

(o) 1

(o) Erica x griffithsii

(o) 1

Erica vagans

1

Bruckenthalia spiculifolia changed to
Erica spiculifolia

1

(o)February
Winter

(o)
1 2

(o) H3
Lavender

(o) 1

H4
Lilac

1

H5
Ruby

1

(o) Spr-Orange

(o) 1

Aut-Orange

1

Erica krameri

(o) 1

Erica veitchii

1

(o) Calluna

(o) 1

(o) March
Spring

(o)
1 2

Spr-Red

1

Aut-Red

1

(o) Erica lusitanica

(o) 1

Erica watsonii

1

(o) Daboecia

(o) 1

(o) April
Spring

(o)
1 2

H6
Cerise

1

(o) H7
Rose Pink

(o) 1

(o) H8
Pink

(o) 1

(o) Spr-Yellow

(o) 1

(o) Aut-Yellow

(o) 1

(o) Erica mackayana

(o) 1

Erica williamsii

1

Erica Hardy Heaths:-

(o) May
Spring

(o) 1

(o) Spr-Other Colour

(o) 1

Aut-Other Colour

1

Erica maderensis

(o) 1

Erica x afroeuropea

(o) 1

(o) June
Summer

(o) 1

(o) H9
Beetroot

(o) 1

(o) H10
Purple

(o) 1

(o) H11
Lilac Pink

(o) 1

(o) Erica manipuliflora

(o) 1

Erica andevalensis now treated as Erica mackayana ssp andevalensis

1

(o) July
Summer

(o) 1

SUMMER FOLIAGE COLOUR
with Foliage Stalk and Form

WINTER FOLIAGE COLOUR
with Foliage Stalk and Form

Erica multiflora

1

SEED COLOUR

(o) Erica arborea

(o) 1

(o) August
Summer

(o) 1

(o) H12 Heliotrope

(o) 1

H13 Crimson

1

(o) H14 Magenta

(o) 1

(o) Sum-Bronze

(o) 1

(o) Win-Bronze

(o) 1

(o) Erica
oldenburgensis

(o) 1

Seed

1

(o) Erica x arendsiana

(o) 1

(o) September
Autumn

(o) 1

(o) Sum-Green

(o)
1 2

(o) Win-Green

(o)
1 2

Erica platycodon

1

(o) Erica australis

(o) 1

(o) October
Autumn

(o) 1

H15 Salmon

1

(o) H16
Shell Pink

(o) 1

(o) H17 Multi-Coloured

(o) 1

Sum-Grey

1

Win-Grey

1

Erica scoparia

1

BED PICTURES

(o) Erica azorica
(Syn.
Erica scoparia subsp. azorica)

(o) 1

(o) November
Autumn

(o) 1

Sum-Orange

1

(o) Win-Orange

(o) 1

Erica sicula

1

Garden

1

(o) Erica carnea

(o)
1 2

(o) December
Winter

(o) 1

Sum-Red

1

(o) Win-Red

(o) 1

(o) Erica spiculifolia

(o) 1

(o) Erica ciliaris

(o) 1

Website Structure Explanation and
User Guidelines

(o) Sum-Yellow

(o) 1

(o) Win-Yellow

(o) 1

(o) Erica stuartii

(o) 1

(o) COMMENTS

(o) Erica cinerea

(o) 1

Sum-Other Colour

1

(o) Win-Other Colour

(o) 1

Erica terminalis

1

(o) Erica x darleyensis

(o) 1

The 2 rows of "Height x Spread in inches (cms) (1 inch = 2.5 cms, 12" = 1 foot = 30 cms) and Comment" state the Heather Description from 'Handy Guide to Heathers Descriptions & Suppliers of over 1000 varieties" by David & Anne Small, published in 1992 by Denbeigh Heather Nurseries (ISBN 0-9519160-0-9). This gives the official Heather Society flower colour(s) and foliage colour(s).
Photos from Chris Garnons-Williams are added to that respective flower colour or foliage colour page in the Shrub Heather Gallery and the relevant index page in this gallery IRRESPECTIVE OF THE ACTUAL FLOWER COLOUR OR FOLIAGE COLOUR (stated in the Handy Guide) IN THE IMAGE THAT WAS TAKEN BY CHRIS GARNONS-WILLIAMS.

(o) Erica erigena

(o) 1

End of Main Menu - See Sub-Menu and Data below:-

Heather Evergreen Shrub Cultivar or Hybrid Name
with link to its Description Page

Erica x arendsiana
'Charnwood Pink'

Erica australis
f. australis
 

Erica australis
f. australis
'Riverslea'

Erica scoparia
ssp azorica

Erica cinerea
f cinerea
'Atrosanguinea, Smith's Variety'

Erica lusitanica

Erica carnea
'Atrorubra'

Juvenile Bud

Photo from
 

Photo from
April 2013

Photo from
 

Photo from
 

Photo from
December 2014

Photo from
 

Mature Bud

Photo from
 

Photo from
 

Photo from
 

Photo from
 

Photo from
December 2014

Photo from
February 2015

Flower and Flower Colour
with link to its
Flower Colour Page

Pale Pink (Lilac - H4) to
Shell Pink - H16 so is
Multi-coloured - H17

Photo from
November 2013

Lilac Pink - H11

Photo from
 

Lilac Pink - H11

Photo from

Tiny chestnut flowers allocated to
Multi-coloured - H17

Photo from
May 2013
 

Magenta - H14

Photo from
October 2014

White - H0

Photo from
December 2014

Deep Pink - H8

Photo from
February 2015
 

Flower Stalk

Photo of flower stalks from
November 2013

Photo of flower stalk from
 

Photo of flower stalk from
June 2013

Photo of flower stalk from
May 2013

Photo of flower stalk from
October 2014

Photo of flower stalk from December 2014
 

Photo of flower stalk from
February 2015
 

Flowers

Photo of flowers from
November 2013

Photo of flowers

Photo of flowers and seedheads from
June 2013

Photo of flowers from
May 2013

Photo of flowers from
October 2014

Photo of flowers from
December 2014
 

Photo of flowers from
February 2015
 

Seed

Seedhead

Photo of

Photo of seedheads from
June 2013

Flowering Months with link to its Flowering Month Page

October,
November,
December,
January,
February,
March,
April

April,
May,
June

April,
May,
June

May,
June

June,
July,
August,
September

December,
January,
February,
March,
April,
May

January,
February,
March,
April,
May

Height x Spread in inches (cms) (1 inch = 2.5 cms, 12" = 1 foot = 30 cms)
and Comment

36 x 36 (90 x 90)

Pale pink (lilac (H4) deepening to shell-pink (H16)) flowers; October-April, medium green foliage; tall, erect habit. One of the clones from Kurt Kramer (Edewecht, Germany), named after a borough in Loughborough, Leicestershire.

80 x 40 (200 x 100)

Lilac Pink (H11) flowers, April-June, with dark green foliage. Open habit.

48 x 34 (120 x 85)

Lilac-pink (H11) flowers, IV–VI; dark green foliage; height at least 1m; spread 75–100cm. Outstanding, but requires to be well pruned to avoid it becoming straggly.

40 x 30 (100 x 75)

An erect growing shrub with bright green foliage chiefly grown for its neat habit and a characteristic curl in its foliage. Very tiny dark chestnut flowers

10 x 24 (21-25 x 46-60)

Glowing magenta (H14) flowers, VI–IX; dark green foliage; broad spreading habit; height 21–25cm; spread 46–60cm.

"Tolerates temperatures down to -20 deg. C. and stays green all winter. The recommended planting distance is 30 cm. (8-11 pcs. Per m2.). This plant is very suitable for "the south facing garden. Requires a sunny spot not too poor soil. This plant needs winter protection from excessive rain and snow. In the summer, you should be careful that they do not dry out. Growing ground cover and can combine with other plants." from Coppelmans in Holland.

40 x 28 (100 x 70)

Pink buds opening white  flowers and sometimes tinged with pink, March-May, with medium green foliage.  Open erect 40” tall x 28" wide.  Can begin blooming in December some years.

Recommended by the Heather Society.

6 x 16 (15 x 40)

Deep Pink (H8) flowers, January-May, with mid green foliage.

Fol-iage Stalk Col-our

Spring
with link to its
Spring Foliage Colour Page

Medium Green

Photo from
 

Dark Green

Photo of flower buds and foliage from
April 2013

Dark Green

Bright Green

Photo from
May 2013

Dark Green

Photo from
 

Medium Green

Photo from
 

Mid Green

Photo from
 

Summer with link to its
Summer Foliage Colour Page

Medium Green

Photo from
 

Dark Green

Photo from
 

Dark Green

Photo of flowers, seeds and foliage from
June 2013

Bright Green

Photo from
August 2013
 

Dark Green

Photo from
 

Medium Green

Photo from
 

Mid Green

Photo from
 

Autumn with link to its
Autumn Foliage Colour Page

Medium Green

Photo from
November 2014
 

Dark Green

Photo from
October 2014
 

Dark Green

Photo from
October 2014

Bright Green

Photo from
October 2014
 

Dark Green

Photo from
October 2014

Medium Green

Photo from
 

Mid Green

Photo from
 

Winter
with link to its
Winter Foliage Colour Page

Medium Green

Photo from
 

Dark Green

Photo from
 

Dark Green

Bright Green

Photo from
 

Dark Green

Photo from
 

Medium Green

Photo from
 

Mid Green

Photo from
February 2015
 

Form dis-plays Over-all Fol-iage Col-our

Spring form
with link to supplier in the UK

Photo of form from
 

Highland Heathers

Photo of form with flower buds and foliage from
April 2013

Triscombe Nurseries

Photo of form from
May 2013

Photo of form from
 

Photo of form from
 

Photo of form from
 

Summer form with link to supplier in Europe

Heather's Heide online shop from Holland is closed on Sunday

Photo of form from
 

Photo of form from
 

Heather's Heide

Photo of flowers and foliage from
June 2013

Heather's Heide

Photo of form from
August 2013

Heather's Heide

Photo of form from
 

Photo of form from
 

Heather's Heide

Photo of form from
 

Autumn form with link to supplier in USA

Heaths and Heathers

Photo of form from
November 2014

Heaths and Heathers

Photo of form from
October 2014 gw

Heaths and Heathers

Photo from
October 2014

Heaths and Heathers

Photo of form from
October 2014

Heaths and Heathers sells
Erica cinerea 'Atrosanguinea'

Photo of form from
October 2014

Heaths and Heathers

Photo of form from
October 2014

Heaths and Heathers

Photo of form from
 

Winter form
with link to supplier in Canada

Photo of form from
 

Photo of form from
 

Photo of form from
 

Photo of form from
 

Photo of form from
 

Photo of form from
February 2015

"Anyone during the summer months, who has walked over the moor lands throughout the British Isles will appreciate the magnificent mass of colour provided by Heathers. Heathers are native to not only the British Isles, but also much of mainland Europe to northern Italy and as far north as Iceland. Due to seed of our native Calluna vulgaris (Scotch Heather) being accidentally introduced on packaging materials, it has also become naturalised in parts of Nova Scotia and Eastern Canada.

We had better point out that there are more heather species (Erica) in South Africa than anywhere else in the world. Many of these have been introduced and sold as pot grown house plants, which if after flowering they are planted out in the garden, then they will die during the winter months. So do make sure the heather you are purchasing is hardy enough to be grown outdoors in the garden.

Most of the heathers require a fertile, moist, but not waterlogged, acid soil. By incorporating plenty of composted bark, or peat, we grow them quite successfully in a sandy loam of Ph6.5, which is almost neutral. If you garden on soils with a high lime content, it is better to create beds raised 15/20cm above your normal soil level and infill this with half and half JI 3 compost and composted bark, or peat. Heathers can also be grown in tubs, or troughs, but Calluna’s and Erica cinerea hate hot feet, but both species like an open sunny site and will not produce so many flowers if grown in dense shade. The winter flowering heather, Erica carnea, is a mountain plant consequently it will tolerate drier soils and warmer sites and will grow in fertile soils of PH7 with less bark, or peat being used.

FLOWERING TIMES
Erica carnea is a superb winter flowering, dwarf evergreen shrub. Over 130 named forms have been introduced varying in size, foliage and flower colour. Flowering time is usually from December to March when there is little else in flower.

Erica erigena is a strong growing shrub, which will attain between 75 cm and 2 metres and flowers during April and May. It has sported a number of foliage and flower cultivars, but they will not tolerate wet feet and exposed sites, but the hybrids between this species and Erica carnea are named Erica x darleyensis and these - although almost as tough as Erica carnea - are much stronger growers growing between 45 and 70cms in height. The x darleyensis cultivars produce flowers from white through to dark amethyst - all flower from December to May.

The tree heather, Erica arborea forms a small tree in Southern Europe where its roots are used to make briar pipes, but it is very tender. However, the variety alpina has been growing in our nursery showground for many years where - if left to its own devices - would attain 2-3 metres in height. It is massed with honey scented white flowers in April-May.

Erica cinerea is a superb low growing shrub which, according to cultivar, is massed with flowers of varying colours from June to September. Daboecia cantabrica also flowers at this time with attractive urn shaped flowers. The sub species scotica is lower growing and freer flowering.

Although there is only one species in Calluna vulgaris; over 600 named cultivars have been introduced, varying from dwarfs of 7cms to those which attain 60cms and with foliage of green, silver, or yellow. The flowers also vary from white to beetroot-red and appear from late June to September. Erica vagans, the Cornish Heath brings the season to a close; its stiff, upright branches produce masses of white, lavender, or pink flowers in September-October.

PRUNING
All of the summer flowering heathers can be pruned after flowering, or the brown seed heads left on until April. Erica arborea alpina and the x darleyensis hybrids can if room allows, be left to their own devices. If room is restricted they can be pruned over as soon as their flowers have faded.

" from Goscote Nurseries.

Heather Evergreen Shrub Cultivar or Hybrid Name
with link to its Description Page

Erica carnea
'David's Seedling'

Erica carnea
'Jennifer Anne'

Juvenile Bud

Mature Bud

Photo of Flower Buds and Flowers on the same stalk from
October 2014

Photo from
26 October 2014

Flower and Flower Colour
with link to its
Flower Colour Page

Open Pink - H8 and darken to Heliotrope - H12 with time

Photo from
January 2015

See below for darkened flower colour with time with its photo taken on the same day

Open Pink - H8 and darken with age to Heliotrope - H12.

Photo from
6 April 2015

Flower Stalk

Photo of flower stalk from
January 2015

Photo of flower stalk from
6 April 2015

Flowers

Photo of flowers and buds with dead pine needles from
January 2015

Photo of flowers from
6 April 2015

Seed

Seedhead

Flowering Months

December,
January,
February,
March,
April,
May

November,
December,
January,
February,
March,
April

Height x Spread in inches (cms) (1 inch = 2.5 cms, 12" = 1 foot = 30 cms)
and Comment

6 x 20 (15 x 50)

The flowers, December-May, open Pink (H8) and darken to Heliotrope (H12) with time. Mid green foliage. A good floriferous cultivar.

8 x 14 (20 x 35)

The flowers, November-April, open Pink (H8) and darken with age to Heliotrope (H12). Dark Green foliage. Neat and compact habit. One of the earliest to flower.

Fol-iage Stalk Col-our

Spring
with link to its
Spring Foliage Colour Page

Dark Green

Photo of mature dark green foliage and lighter green juvenile foliage with flowers from
6 April 2015

Summer with link to its
Summer Foliage Colour Page

Dark Green

Photo

Autumn with link to its
Autumn Foliage Colour Page

Mid Green

Photo from
October 2014

Dark Green

Photo of foliage with dead pine needles from
26 October 2014

Winter
with link to its
Winter Foliage Colour Page

Mid Green

Photo from
January 2015

Dark Green

Photo

Form dis-plays Over-all Fol-iage Col-our

Spring form
with link to supplier in the UK

Email John Hall Plants for availability

Photo

Email John Hall Plants for availability

Photo of form with flowers, dead deciduous tree leaves, dead pine needles, pine cone and grass growing within it from
6 April 2015

Summer form with link to supplier in Europe

Heather's Heide online shop from Holland is closed on Sunday

Heather's Heide

Photo of form from

Heather's Heide

Photo of form from
 

Autumn form with link to supplier in USA

Heaths and Heathers

Photo of form with flower buds from
October 2014

Heaths and Heathers

Photo of form with flower buds, dead deciduous tree leaves and dead pine needles from
26 October 2014

Winter form
with link to supplier in Canada

Photo of form with flower buds and flowers from
January 2015

Photo

Depending on which heather species you choose, you can have flowers throughout the year, which is very useful for their pollination by bees.

"RHS Plants for Pollinators
There are lots of ways to make your garden as perfect for pollinators as possible with the RHS
We have compiled two downloadable plant lists to help gardeners identify plants that will provide nectar and pollen for bees and many other types of pollinating insects:
 

• RHS Perfect for Pollinators – Garden Plants (1.3MB)
 
• RHS Perfect for Pollinators - Wildflowers (711kB)

How to attract and support pollinating insects

• Aim to have plants that are attractive to pollinating insects in flower from early spring to late autumn.
• Grow garden plants with flowers that attract pollinating insects.
• Avoid plants with double or multi-petalled flowers. Such flowers may lack nectar and pollen, or insects may have difficulty in gaining access.
• Never use pesticides on plants when they are in flower.
• Where appropriate, British wildflowers can be an attractive addition to planting schemes and may help support a wider range of pollinating insects.
• Observe the plants in your garden. If you know of plants with blooms that regularly attract insects, let us know.
• Encourage bees by keeping honeybees yourself or allowing a beekeeper to place hives in your garden. Nest boxes containing cardboard tubes or hollow plant stems, or holes drilled in blocks of wood will provide nest sites for some species of solitary bees. Such nests are available from garden centres or you can make your own." from the RHS.

Site design and content copyright ©December 2014. Index Page for each Comparison Page of Heather Comparison Gallery created in this Gallery in December 2014. Chris Garnons-Williams.

DISCLAIMER: Links to external sites are provided as a courtesy to visitors. Ivydene Horticultural Services are not responsible for the content and/or quality of external web sites linked from this site.
It is possible that the carrier pigeon used in the original link may have died and thus that link currently may no longer be functional. 

Some heathers besides having flowers have foliage colours that change from 1 season to the next season in the UK -

• Spring (March, April, May),
• Summer (June, July, August),
• Autumn (September, October, November) and
• Winter (December, January, February).

The Heather Comparison Gallery provides comparison pages of the:-

• 18 flower colours with flower and flower stalk as shown in the menu table at the top of this page,
• 18 flower colours with flower and flower stalk in each of the months that heather flowers,
• 7 foliage colours with foliage stalk and form per season as shown in the menu table at the top of this page, and
• Each of the Heather Cultivar Groups with flowers

and the Index for the heathers shown in each of these Comparison Pages is in 1 or more Index Pages in the relevant Heather Evergreen Shrub Index Gallery instead of being in the same Comparison page, due to their being too many to include within the available space.
THIS COMBINATION OF FOLIAGE COLOUR CHANGE CAN BE USED IN YOUR GARDEN DESIGN TO AID DIFFERENT GROUNDCOVER FOLIAGE COLOURS IN DIFFERENT SEASONS, together with the months of flower buds before flowering and the post months of seedheads.

STAGE 4C CULTIVATION, POSITION, USE GALLERY

Cultivation Requirements of Plant

1

1

1

1

1

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1

1

1, 2,
3, 4,
5, 6,
7, 8,
9, 10,
11,12,
13,14,
15,16,
uses of tree/ shrub

1

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Poisonous Plant

1

STAGE 1
GARDEN STYLE INDEX GALLERY

Fragrant Plants adds the use of another of your 5 senses in your garden:-
Sense of Fragrance from Roy Genders

Fragrant Plants:-
Trees and Shrubs with Scented Flowers
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Trees and Shrubs with Scented Leaves
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Trees and Shrubs with Aromatic Bark
1, 2, 3

Shrubs bearing Scented Flowers for an
Acid Soil
1, 2, 3, 4

Shrubs bearing Scented Flowers for a
Chalky or Limestone Soil
1, 2, 3, 4

Shrubs bearing Scented leaves for a
Sandy Soil
1, 2, 3

Herbaceous Plants with Scented Flowers
1, 2, 3

Herbaceous Plants with Scented Leaves
1, 2, 3

Annual and Biennial Plants with Scented Flowers or Leaves
1, 2

Bulbs and Corms with Scented Flowers
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Scented Plants of Climbing and Trailing Habit
1, 2, 3

Winter-flowering Plants with Scented Flowers
1, 2

Night-scented Flowering Plants
1, 2

Scented Aquatic Plants
1

Plants with Scented Fruits
1

Plants with Scented Roots
1, 2

Trees and Shrubs with Scented Wood
1

Trees and Shrubs with Scented Gums
1

Scented Cacti and Succulents
1

Plants bearing Flowers or Leaves of Unpleasant Smell
1, 2
 

STAGE 2
INFILL PLANT INDEX GALLERY 3

Fan-trained Shape

From Rhododendrons, boxwood, azaleas, clematis, novelties, bay trees, hardy plants, evergreens : novelties bulbs, cannas novelties, palms, araucarias, ferns, vines, orchids, flowering shrubs, ornamental grasses and trees book, via Wikimedia Commons

Ramblers Scramblers & Twiners by Michael Jefferson-Brown (ISBN 0 - 7153 - 0942 - 0) describes how to choose, plant and nurture over 500 high-performance climbing plants and wall shrubs, so that more can be made of your garden if you think not just laterally on the ground but use the vertical support structures including the house as well.

The Gardener's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Climbers & Wall Shrubs - A Guide to more than 2000 varieties including Roses, Clematis and Fruit Trees by Brian Davis. (ISBN 0-670-82929-3) provides the lists for 'Choosing the right Shrub or Climber' together with Average Height and Spread after 5 years, 10 years and 20 years.