Back home on the east coast of England, there’s a flowering plant that wows me every single winter: Grevillea.
The variety I have is called ‘Coastal Gem’, and it’s a very fitting name for a hardy evergreen that thrives in challenging conditions. It’s one of my favourite winter-flowering shrubs, and it bursts into bloom around January until late spring. It’s a low-growing evergreen shrub that works brilliantly as a filler plant for borders or a statement in a pot.
This is how I grow my Grevillea – and a few similar cultivars, if you want to start growing one yourself.
B&Q
Grevillea lanigera ‘Mount Tamboritha’
A variation of my Grevillea ‘Coastal Gem’, you can order 9cm potted shrubs of this Grevillea from B&Q.
Grevillea is native to Australia, but the hardier cultivars thrive in UK winters. My plant is a Grevillea lanigera ‘Coastal Gem’, which is actually quite hard to find online – I got lucky and found it in my local garden centre – but you can order Grevillea ‘Canberra Gem’ from Amazon, which also produces bright pink flowers from late winter.
For softer pink blooms that also resemble ‘Coastal Gem’ flowers, grow Grevillea lanigera ‘Mount Tamboritha’ from B&Q.
Grevillea lanigera flowers are absolutely beautiful – they’re pink, tiny, and furled with protusions that look a bit like fuchsias. Their staying power and adaptability are phenomenal – the blooming period kicks off in January, and the flowers remain until late spring.
It’s also a drought-tolerant plant once established, so it’s a brilliant candidate for challenging weather patterns all year round.
Mine grows in a black, boat-shaped pot, which really makes the flowers pop. It also sets off the foliage, which resembles rosemary leaves (the two aren’t related, though). This aged zinc plant trough from Crocus would work just as well, and you can even buy a trough stand for extra drainage.
Grevillea thrive in sandy and other poor soils, so they’re ideal candidates for the trickier growing spots in your garden. They’re ideal if you’re looking for colourful filler plants for sparse flower beds or pots, but a little shelter can go a long way.
‘If you grow a hardy variety, Grevillea can allegedly survive in temperatures as low as -10°C if they are in a sheltered location with full sun and have had adequate time to ‘harden off’ over summer,’ says Richard Barker, commercial director at LBS Horticulture.
‘If you live in an area where temperatures can potentially drop below -10°C, Grevillea can be grown in containers and brought indoors to be overwintered in a greenhouse or conservatory.’
Crocus
Rough Cast Oval Aluminium Bowl
Perfect for smaller shrubs.
B&Q
48cm Cotswold Cylinder Planter
A larger black planter (48cm).
Crocus
Oval Tub With Handles / Drinks Cooler
I love these tub planters.
If you’re looking for late winter colour that lasts for months and months, I think Grevillea is one of the most beautiful choices. It’s perfect for brightening up the transition between winter and spring.
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