Re: A hedge by the sea
dave-poole@ilsham.demon.co.uk wrote:
>
> Moira wrote:
>
> >I was bemused to see you recommend H salicifolia.
>
> Well it wasn't that much of a recommendation really Moira,
Glad to know this!!
>
> Hebe speciosa in its myriad of forms is far finer with more vibrant
> flowers, although I've seen it get badly salt burnt on several
> occasions.
This very odd, because all its natural locations cited in the NZ Flora
are seaside places, the type locality being "South head of Hokianga
Harbour". As it naturally grows only in the northern coastal reaches of
the North Island it is however quite frost tender.
Have you ever come across H 'Andersonii' (or even better H 'Andersonii"
variegata)? This is a very successful cross between speciosa and
salacifolia and is a graceful plant with long leaves and long showy
infloresences of a good violet colour. It is a very old hybrid, having
been raised in Edinburgh about 1849, but is still outstanding in my
opinion.
>
> Substantially tougher, more drought resistant and salt tolerant is H.
> 'Autumn Glory' with its rounded, leathery, purple flushed, glaucous
> leaves and masses of short spiked, purple flowers from midsummer until
> early winter and often throughout the year. It's just dawned on me that this would look absolutely stunning with a perennial Tropaeolum such as the orange scarlet T. tuberosum clambering up through it.
I wonder if this is really Autumn Glory. It sounds to me much more like
Amy. Amy certainly has the purple flushed leaves, but Autumn Glory is
described as having "purple stems and and grey-green leaves".
I don't personally know Autumn Glory,but I have grown Amy myself and
given plants to friends and can confirm the striking purple of its
foliage, especially in winter. It flowers mainly from mid to late summer
here.
According to the local description, Autumn Glory is only a "small shrub
45 to 60cms tall, useful for the front of the border, and it doesn't to
me sound sound high enough to use as a hedge. Amy on the other hand
grows from 1 to 1.5 metres a reasonable height for hedge, I would think.
(Information from The Cultivation of NZ Trees and Shrubs LJ Metcalf -
Laurie Metcalf is recognised as THE authority on this subject.)
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata,
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
