Monday 8 November 2010

plectranthus "mona lavender"

http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/plect1.JPGAs part of my mission to introduce more lush, foresty plants around the place I decided to try out a relatively new variety of plant, plectranthus "Mona Lavender." I'd never seen them before but they were stunning - green leaves with purple-black undersides and flowers that look like lavender. I had one in mind for this spot, where that purplish scraggly hebe bush is next to the garage door. I never liked that hebe, it doesn't get enough sun so it's leggy and never flowers. It's only good for catching the door when it opens too far.

http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/plect2.JPGThe plectranthrus had a hard time of it before it was properly planted out. First a branch got snapped off overnight, I'm guessing one of the cats got to it. Then I started faffing about finding a good-sized rock or paver to put in the ground to keep the door from swinging into the plectranthus. But of course, before said rock was in place I went to get something from the garage without closing the door and it - as usual - sung open and into the newly-planted plectranthus, snapping off another branch. So it's a bit smaller than when I first bought it, but it should be fine. I'm told that once it settles in it should take off quickly and fill the space out nicely. The flowers will just be a nice bonus! Look at that foliage! The green really isn't as yellow as it looks in the photo but the purple-black really is that dark. It looks great near those little begonias. They're the same ones I planted last year but they survived the winter so I'm leaving them be.

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