Erica manipuliflora 'Valerie Griffiths'

Erica manipuliflora 'Valerie Griffiths' is a variety of summer heather distinguished by its yellow summer foliage and its golden yellow tones in winter. Between July and October, its branches are adorned with a multitude of small bell-shaped flowers in pale-pink. Standing about 40cm (16in) tall, it spreads to form a dense cushion with evergreen foliage all year round. Not demanding in terms of soil type and exposure, it requires little maintenance. It is accessible to all gardeners and can easily find its place in any garden.

Erica manipuliflora 'Valerie Griffiths' is a summer heather, selected by Professor John Griffiths, resulting from the deliberate cross-breeding between E. vagans 'Valerie Proudley' with golden foliage and E. manipuliflora 'Aldeburgh' with pink flowers. This cultivar boasts healthy and robust vegetation. It forms a small evergreen bush with a spreading habit, reaching 0.3 to 0.45m (1ft) in height and 0.45m to 0.6m (1 to 2ft) in width at maturity. It grows slowly and its lifespan does not exceed 12 to 15 years. Small needles, 5 to 7mm long, grow on thin and twisted branches, arranged in whorls of 3 or 4, with a tender greenish-yellow colour in spring, turning yellow in summer, and eventually taking on golden yellow hues in winter. It produces small pale-pink bell-shaped flowers from July to October, measuring 4 to 5mm in length, arranged in long spikes measuring 3 to 7cm (1 to 3in), scattered along the branches. The flower consists of a corolla in the shape of an urn or bell with 4 small lobes and 8 free stamens. The protruding purple anthers give the flowers an elegant appearance. They are popular with bees.

Erica manipuliflora 'Valerie Griffiths' has all the qualities one expects from a heather. It boasts a long and remarkable flowering combined with ever-evolving evergreen foliage throughout the seasons. Its low, dense, and compact growth means it can be used in ground cover beds, as border plants in ericaceous beds, on banks and rockeries, to dress the base of trees and large shrubs, and to fill in undergrowth areas. However, avoid excessively hot exposures. It prefers acidic to neutral soil, but it can adapt to slightly alkaline soil. In any case, well-drained soil without stagnant moisture is essential. It does not tolerate long periods of drought well and appreciates moist soil. Mulching will help maintain relative soil moisture.

Almost maintenance-free, 'Valerie Griffiths' only requires light pruning after flowering, in October. It can be planted alongside other heathers whose flowering will take over, while having similar growth and development, such as E. x carnea, E. x darleyensis, or E. vagans. Its long summer flowering brightens up shaded areas with its vibrant colours. It brings whimsy and cheerfulness to low-growing grassy beds such as carex, ophiopogon, molinia, uncinia, hakonechloa, pennisetum, etc. It can also be mixed in a low and shaded bed with andromedas, bearberries, pachysandra, or Lithodora fruticosa. In acidic soil, heathers form beautiful carpets at the base of larger shrubs: mountain laurel, rhododendrons, camellias, deciduous azaleas, andromedas, etc. Cultivated in pots or containers, it enriches balconies and patios with its intense flowering.