Escallonia virgata Pride of Donard

The 'Pride of Donard' Escallonia is a vigorous evergreen bush with a rounded, compact and erect habit, essential in mild climates and coastal areas, whether in the ground or in containers. Adorned with beautiful glossy green foliage, this excellent flowering hedge subject is beautiful all year round. It offers a long summer flowering in the form of small bright pink-red flowers gathered in clusters at the ends of the branches. Like many escallonias, it loves the sun, tolerates shade (in hot climates), sea spray, limestone soils and summer drought once well established. This variety, award-winning in England, only dislikes heavy frost. If your climate allows it, plant Escallonia, these rewarding bushes grow fast, are floriferous, often fragrant and really undemanding!

The 'Pride of Donard' Escallonia is a horticultural creation born in Northern Ireland, at the Slieve Donard nursery, where many hybrids such as 'Donard Beauty' or 'Donard Seedling' have been developed, 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 bushes grow among the thickets that cover the slopes or on coasts exposed to sea spray. Escallonia virgata, ancestor of the 'Pride of Donard' selection, is a compact bush with white flowers native to Chile and Argentina.

The 'Pride of Donard' variety forms a branching shrub with a bushy and erect habit, of fairly rapid growth, which will reach an average height of 1.5 metres (4 feet 11 inches) at maturity and a spread of 1.25 metres (4 feet 1 inch). It stands out for its evergreen leaves which are slightly larger than those of other varieties, leathery, alternate, ovate, with toothed edges, and shiny medium green. They are densely arranged towards the ends of the branches. Flowering takes place between June and August, for about two months, earlier or later depending on the climate, sometimes as early as May in hot climates. At the end of each branch, a cluster of 3 to 10 cm (1.2 to 3.9 in) is formed, composed of small five-petal, tubular bell-shaped flowers, bright pink with a white throat, enclosed at the base in a red and green calyx.

Escallonias are a great replacement for Weigelas in mild climates and coastal areas, as well as in dry gardens. 'Pride of Donard' is an excellent contrast and enhancement bush for white or red roses, and only dislikes icy winds and harsh winters. Well known to Breton, Irish or English gardeners, it is also comfortable in Mediterranean climates, after careful planting and regular watering for the first two or three years. It is tolerant of heat, dry summers once established, and limestone soils, and manages to flower in scorching or shaded situations. It is essential in coastal gardens: its flowering, like that of Olearias, brightens up the grey foliage of Atriplex, Bupleurum fruticosum, or Correa alba rosea. In a large group, it can be associated with cistus, Polygala, Grevillea (in neutral to acid soil), or spring-flowering shrubs such as lilacs, brooms, Kolkwitzia amabilis or buddleias.