Escallonia Donard Seedling

The Escallonia 'Donard Seedling' is a beautiful evergreen, vigorous and hardy bush, capable of thriving inland, far from the coastal gardens where it is an essential feature. Dense and bushy, and supported by gracefully drooping branches, it bears a profusion of pink flower buds in summer that open into small flowers of a pale pink that fades almost to white. Slightly fragrant, they are gathered in small clusters on tough, glossy dark green foliage. An excellent subject for a free hedge or mass planting, this Escallonia loves the sun and tolerates shade, coastal conditions, limestone soils, and summer drought once established. It is difficult to find a fault with it, especially since its moderate growth is not prohibitive for a small garden!

The Escallonia Donard Seedling is a horticultural creation born in Northern Ireland at the Slieve Donard nursery, from which many hybrids such as 'Donard Beauty' or 'Pride of Donard' have emerged, all excellent garden plants in mild climates. Escallonias belong to the escalloniaceae family and are native to temperate areas of South America and Chile. In nature, these shrubs grow among the undergrowth covering hillsides or on exposed coasts.

The 'Donard Seedling' variety forms a dense and spreading bush and has fairly fast growth, reaching an average height of 2 m (6.6 ft) at maturity and a width of 2.5 m (6.6 ft). It is distinguished by its drooping branches at their tips. Its small leaves, 2.5cm (1 in) long, are tough, alternate, ovate, with toothed edges, and a shiny dark green. They are densely arranged towards the terminal part of the branches. Flowering takes place from June-July to September, for about a month (earlier or later depending on the climate, sometimes as early as May in hot climates). At the tip of each branching section a cluster of 3 to 10 cm (3.9 in) is born, composed of small five-petaled bell-shaped flowers, ranging from light pink to white, 1 to 1.5 cm (0.6 in) in size, enclosed at the base in a pink calyx.

The Escallonia Donard Seedling, an excellent shrub for contrasting and enhancing white or pink roses, fears only icy winds and excessively harsh winters. Well known to Breton, Irish, or English gardeners, it is also comfortable in Mediterranean climates following careful planting and regular watering in the first two or three years. It does not fear heat or dry summers once established, or limestone soils, and manages to flower even in scorching or shady situations. It is essential in coastal gardens where its flowering, like that of Olearias, brightens the gray foliage of Atriplex, Bupleurum fruticosum, or Correa alba rosea for example. In a large mass planting it can be associated with cistus, lavender, Hebe, or spring-flowering shrubs such as lilacs, Kolkwitzia amabilis, or deutzias.