Aubretia

I would love to have aubretia trailing down some of my terraced bits, but despite everyone saying how easy it is to grow I have never managed more than a clump. I have tried sowing seed and buying various sized plants, but it doesn't thrive. Anyone got any ideas about this dismal failure? My soil here is neutral to acid, but in Cambridge it was limey and I had the same problem. :confused:

 

None whatsoever, Liz - must be an attitude of mind!! :D Just think "s** it!" and plant it, and leave it to do its own thing, or like someone said their Gran used to do, plant things, water them in well, and say "Now grow, you buggers!!"

 

Take heart Liz, I had a bit of a struggle getting them going and I really wanted the red ones not blue. I don't think they like it too wet, mine are best under dry trees and over wall and gravel in car park bed. Don't give up, its a plant you should not be without.

 

I find Aubretia can take a couple of years to establish and if it's grown in soil that's too rich or moist it doesen't go seeking new territory so tends not to trail. Soggy soil is about the only thing that will kill it. Keep 'em lean and mean and they start to creep and tumble all over the place. It's a natural rock and cliff dweller from S. Europe that will self set in crazy paving, old walls or gravel.

Best trimmed with a pair of shears or large scissors after flowering or they can become straggly

 

Thanks all, I look forward to the day when they can be trimmed with anything larger than nail scissors!
I bought some seed and another plant today....

 

Good luck Liz!! And get the shears ready! :D

 

im having a bash with aubretia myself Liz.fingers crossed.

 

I never had any luck with Aubretia, planting it into clay in previous years.

Thought this might give some encouragement! In the first picture taken a year ago I planted just a few small Aubretia plants straight into a gritty mix as shown here on either side of that rock at the bottom, plus a few more further up later. Also some planted into buckets sunk below the surface and added later against the fence.
Through the summer they looked barely alive, dried up and really struggling, just watered them now and again when they looked really desparate.
Then in the autumn/winter the green leaves gradually started to thicken up.


Then today!
Except the camera lied, they are really more purple than this!

 

Way to go DAG - just takes a little patience :D I grow aubretia, on clay - and after the usual will it won't it period, its taken off. Lovely spring flower.

 

thankyou Dag,that piture`s a real incentive.

 

Flipping heck and I have to dig the dratted stuff up out of the gravel garden or it takes over!

 

Palustris:

I know, I think now its getting established there is no stopping it! :D

 

They do look great DAG - a particularly nice-looking plant. I love the trailing ones!!

 

I wonder if differant varieties vary in robustness. I grew several plants of a red Aubretia from seed three years ago, and planted them in a new bed area. But I have noticed that all but one has now died out. However I planted one blue Aubretia from another part of the garden, from a clump that has been expanding for 20 years, in the same bed and that is romping away.

Why not try and get a bit from a neighbour, which is doing well and likes your local conditions.

 

Thanks Dendy, Aubretia is one of my favourites and Geranium 'Johnsons Blue' is Mrs DAGs - not a bad combination?