Erica darleyensis Ghost Hills - Winter Heath

Erica x darleyensis 'Ghost Hills' is a vigorous variety that spreads strongly on the ground to form large flowering cushions in winter. It transforms into a cloud of small bell-shaped flowers in a soft pink colour fading to pale mauve, in the heart of winter when the garden lacks colour. Its young shoots are pinkish. Its fine evergreen foliage is light green with cream spots when young, and sometimes takes on pretty coppery reflections in the cold. This hardy and accommodating heather was rewarded in England for its ornamental qualities and ease of cultivation. It will find its place in every garden. By associating different varieties with staggered flowering, Darley heathers form a patchwork of colours for 6 to 7 months, in the garden or in pots, even in slightly chalky and dry soil. 

Erica x darleyensis 'Ghost Hills' is a horticultural creation resulting from the cross-breeding between Erica carnea, native to mountainous areas of southern and central Europe, thriving on limestone soil, and the acidophilous Erica erigena, native to western Europe. This hybrid combines significant development, subtly coloured foliage, and bright flowering, although slightly less abundant than that of other varieties. This small, evergreen shrub, with a rounded and spreading habit, will reach approximately 45 cm (17.7 in) in height and 70 cm to 80 cm (27.6 in to 31.5 in) in width at maturity, with a rather slow growth. Its lifespan is around 10 to 15 years. 'Ghost Hills' blooms from December to March-April depending on the climate, in the form of small urn-shaped flowers in a tender pink colour quickly fading to very pale mauve with a violet tip. These flowers, 3 mm to 5 mm (0.1 in to 0.2 in) in length, are gathered in clusters measuring 3 cm to 10 cm (1.2 in to 3.9 in) and are scattered along the branches, amidst linear, obtuse leaves, 3 mm to 10 mm (0.1 in to 0.4 in) in length. The foliage of this variety is pinkish on the young shoots, then light green speckled with white cream, becoming light green at maturity.

Hardy and not demanding on the nature of the soil, it is a sturdy small shrub, ideal for the layout of winter heather beds, in the company of other varieties, notably the white and snowy 'Silberschmelze' variety, or the bright carmine pink of 'Kramer's Rote'. Darley heather is also an excellent ground cover, whether alone or with dwarf creeping conifers (Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star', J. horizontalis 'Blue Chip', J. repanda), or ground cover plants such as Antennaria dioica 'Rubra', edelweiss, Armeria maritima 'Rubrifolia', or Campanula portenschlagiana, for example.