Pratia pedunculata

Isotoma fluviatilis, also known as Pratia pedunculata, is a perfectly hardy spreading evergreen perennial. Its abundance of small pale-blue star-shaped flowers has the power to illuminate and enliven your garden, even in shady areas.

Isotoma fluviatilis belongs to the Campanulaceae family and is native to Australia and New Zealand, where it thrives in moist and shaded areas. However, this perennial adapts perfectly to our more continental climates. It is much more tolerant and resistant than helxine, with which it can still be associated, as it accepts both partial shade and full sun, humus-bearing soils and dry ones, and even frost (-10°C (14°F)).

This low-growing ground cover plant, not exceeding 5cm (2in) in height, will quickly form an elegant flowering carpet, especially among Japanese slabs or pavements that will emphasise its delicate variegated foliage and its 5-petal flowers that bloom from May to August. We recommend planting in autumn or spring, ensuring that the soil remains moist during its establishment and is free of weeds. Protect it from slugs and snails. We suggest planting it in voluptuous masses with shade-loving perennials to create a contemporary, minimalist scenography with a Japanese touch (for example, use horsetails as a dynamic backdrop, animated by ferns and some elfin plants mixed with helxine), or with sun-loving perennials to animate and dress an English garden path (such as wild rose, climbing iceberg or sombreuil roses perched on chestnut supports, and clumps of grasses punctuated by scabiosa, sage, and echinacea adorned with some erectums).