34 AMATEUR GARDENING 6 JULY 2019Plant combinations to try
CAPITALISE on the frozen beauty of winter with these
dynamic duos in blue, white and silver:
Iris reticulata ‘Katharine Hodgkin’ and snowdrops.
Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Blue Moon’ and white
winter heathers.
Scilla mischtschenkoana ‘Tubergeniana’ and
white cyclamen.
Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ and pale
lavender Algerian iris.
Clematis cirrhosa ‘Wisley
Cream’ and silver birch.
Euphorbia characias
subsp. wulfenii and
Russian sage (perovskia).
Cyclamen coum subsp.
coum f. coum Silver Group
and common snowdrops.Clematis cirrhosa ‘Jingle Bells’
A charming evergreen climber that is hung with scented
ivory bells from late December until February. Grow in
well-drained soil, in sheltered sun, and only prune when
necessary. H: 10ft (3m).Helleborus ‘Verboom Beauty’
This early-flowering Christmas rose is a relatively new
introduction. Given humus-rich soil and a spot in sheltered
semi-shade, it will produce gorgeous white saucer flowers
throughout winter. H: 1ft (30cm).5 icy whites
Galanthus elwesii
The greater snowdrop has large flowers with green markings.
Blooming on tall stems, they exude a lovely honey scent. An
ideal candidate for naturalising – it needs neutral-to-alkaline
soil and semi-shade. H: 8in (20cm).Cyclamen coum
subsp. coum f.
pallidum ‘Album’
A lot easier to
grow than it is to
pronounce, this
hardy perennial
cyclamen has
heart-shaped
leaves and purple-
flecked white
winter flowers.
Plants will perform
best in humus-rich
soil, in semi-shade.
H: 4in (10cm).Erica carnea f. alba ‘Whitehall’
An upright, compact heather with bright green foliage and
snow-white flowers in January and February. Happy in either
sun or semi-shade, and in well-drained neutral-to-acidic soil.
HxS: 6inx1ft (15x30cm).GAP
GAP‘Powis Castle’ and paleSnowdrops and ‘Katharine
Hodgkin’ irises are happy
together in semi-shade