Creating winter interest.

Then not suitable Gary.
Check out lithodora heavenly blue.....evergreen, blue flowers most of the summer.
Brunneras like Hadspen Cream or Jack Frost too.
Have you considered campanula Dicksons Gold? This is a well behaved yellow leaved beauty with blue flowers in summer. Always admired here. You can divide it to make more plants....lovely in groups/mounds of 3.
For something a little different agapanthus Golden Drop is pure joy. A dwarf mound of evergreen or near evergreen variegated foliage with pale blue flowers in summer. Unlike any other agapanthus. A plant of class.
A few ideas Gary from your remit of full sun and clay soil (as long as it drains well)

If your soil is damp, corydalis flexuosa is lovely. Spreading, not invasive, clumps of nice foliage with blue flowers in spring and early summer. Can go dormant in mid summer if it dries out but, unusually, forms fresh foliage in autumn and through winter.

Considering the geums you have, maybe orange knips, I have kept to blue flowers but, of course, the options are greater if you want other colours.

Recommendations, as always, from my own personal experience of growing them

 

@Verdun Thanks. Lots of food for thought as always. The mango popsicle is already part of my plan. I initially thought about yellow flowers but I guess it depends on what other plants are included in the scheme. I will certainly take a closer look at your list next time I sit for a coffee.

Bed time



G.

 

G I have the Lithodora Verdun mentioned. They are stunning and an absolute magnet for Bees . They like acid conditions although both mine are in pots of general purpose compost doing well. The compost has peat in it so that's why they are ok I guess.

 

Agree Lucius about lithodora reputedly needing acid soil but, because I liked it so much, I tried it here on my neutral soil a few years ago and it does very well. As you said, yours are in a general purpose compost that usually have some lime. An adaptable plant doing well on light and fairly heavy soils too

 

It looks as though lithodora is out of season. I was hoping to find the odd one kicking about somewhere. I thought I could tuck one in somewhere non discript just to see if it would take. I'll carry on looking around. If nothing appears then I will just have to wait until spring.

Wyevale list Heavenly Blue and Blue Star.

G.

 

Ebay list it, 6 plugs for less than a fiver Gary.
With respect, don't "tuck it in somewhere"......it will struggle. Give it generous space, compost etc. Plants respond to such treatment.
I have seen so many underwhelming plants squashed in but vastly improved by digging up and replanting with space
You could plant 3 plugs in a container that will make a complete unit by early summer

 

I'll look into it. I saw sedum acre in the garden centre today. It's a good job we had that discussion before hand.

G.

 

Amazon list the Lithodora too. I am going to need to move mine next spring to larger homes, so I can try to get you a cutting or two then G if you haven't managed to get hold of any.

 

@luciusmaximus Thats very nice of you. I would say the eBay and Amazon listings are from the same supplier. 6 plugs for £5 + £3.95 p&p. If I wait until spring there is no reason why I can't pick up what I want locally. It's quite possible that when the times comes I might choose something completely different. Until then I'll keep my options open.

All the plants I have bought so far are safely stowed away. I still have plenty of heavy digging and shovelling to do. plenty for me to get stuck into.

G.

Ps @redstar that's very pretty but I don't know what it is.

 

Calacarpia the purple berries stay on the branches in the winter, then the white snow falls about, the beauty of the white snow with the purple peeking out. Birds can discover the berries and will eat some.

 

Love, love, love that plant!

 

@"M" ......not called the Beautyberry shrub for nothing EH!!! ......So GAWJUS !!! .....
I Fell in love with it when i first saw it at Kew Gardens

@redstar Thank you for posting yours and such a lovely description in detail - makes me want one all over again

really must not try to multitask on GC ... I know im not good at it ... too many tabs open on GC doesn't make for accurate recordings..must learn to concentrate ....now that sounds familiar hmmmm Skool days ...OH such is the downside of being in demand .....knowing the right plant and writing down the right plant ....edited

 

Kolkwitzia known as the Beauty Bush
Dont shoot me but I think callicarpa is the beauty berry.
However, it is a stunner .....trouble with the forum is it is always tempting us to buy something new:rasp:

 

Crocus calls it Beauty Berry. It's a beauty alright. Way to big for my humble plot.

G.