Helianthemum Annabel - Rock Rose

Helianthemum 'Annabel' is a charming variety with soft pink double flowers punctuated with a golden yellow stamen heart. They appear from May to September above beautiful grey-green foliage. This evergreen subshrub is very floriferous and forms a lovely ground cover. It will thrive in sunny borders and rockeries, creating a romantic cascade over a low wall or between the stones of paving.

Belonging to the Cistaceae family, Helianthemum 'Annabel' is derived from two botanical species, Helianthemum apenninum, native to southern Europe, and H. mummularium, widespread in Europe and Turkey. Like its ancestors it loves chalky, rocky and sandy soils and full sun. Without these conditions, it does not flower and withers. Helianthemum 'Annabel' forms a low, spreading and dense subshrub, cushion-like, reaching a height of 25 cm (10 in) and a width of 30 to 35 cm (14 in). Its evergreen to semi-evergreen foliage (depending on the climate) is composed of small linear leaves, with a silver-grey-green colour, that showcases its abundant and bright soft pink flowering. From May to August it is covered with numerous small double flowers measuring 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter, in slightly crumpled pompoms, adorned with a cluster of golden stamens.

Helianthemum is the ideal plant to enhance a rockery or sunny slope, cascade over a low wall or brighten up paving. It will also have a beautiful effect at the front of perennial borders or raised flower beds. It is also suitable for cultivation in pots or containers on terraces. It can be considered for the creation of green walls and green roofs. Combine it with other rockery plants (Erigeron, Shrubby Potentilla, Shrubby Wallflower), as well as perennial plants such as Lavender, Iris germanica, Cistus, Helenium, Convolvulus cneorum and sabatius, Coreopsis, thymes, creeping rosemary. Its flowers blend delicately with the grey foliage of stachys, dwarf artemisias, and silver baskets.