Erica ‘Darley Dale’

Erica 'Darley Dale' (Erica x darleyensis 'Darley Dale') does its best work in winter, when almost nothing else in a cool climate garden is flowering. It grows to about 50cm tall and 80cm wide, spreading wider than it stands, and knits into a low mound of fine needle foliage. Soft pink spikes open through winter and into early spring.

Why you'll love it

• Colour in the coldest months. Flowering runs through winter and early spring, filling the long gap before the first spring bulbs appear.
• It spreads to cover. At 80cm wide against 50cm tall it behaves like a low mounding groundcover, so a run of plants closes into continuous cover.
• Hardy where it counts. Frost hardy, wind tolerant and salt tolerant, which suits exposed southern gardens, hilltop blocks and coastal sites.
• It accepts poor soil. Thin, sandy, low fertility ground is closer to its natural preference than a rich improved bed.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 50cm apart for dense cover. The mounds meet in the second season and shade the soil below, which keeps weeds down.

Borders and edging. A single row at 50cm gives a soft low edge to a path or bed, and it is a good foil for spring bulbs planted through it.

Rockeries and pots. The fine texture suits a rockery pocket or the front of a raised bed. In a pot, use a container at least 300mm wide with an acidic mix.

Growing Darley Dale heather in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering, with light afternoon shade acceptable in hotter spots. This is a cool temperate and warm temperate plant, genuinely frost hardy, so Victoria, Tasmania, the southern tablelands and the Adelaide Hills all suit it. Subtropical gardens are too warm and humid.

Soil. This is the one thing to get right. Heathers want acidic, free draining soil. On neutral or alkaline ground, work composted pine bark through the bed and consider a soil acidifier, and never lime it.

Water and feed. Keep the root zone evenly moist through the first two summers, then water in dry spells only. Feed sparingly with a fertiliser formulated for azaleas and camellias in early spring. Rich or limed soil does more damage than no feeding.

Pruning. Shear lightly once the flowers finish in spring, taking off the spent tips but staying within the green growth. Heathers rarely reshoot from bare old wood, so a plant cut back hard often does not recover.

What to expect when it arrives

Darley Dale is grown in two sizes here: tube stock, and 140mm pots sold in packs of ten. Tube stock arrives as a small bushy plant, usually 10cm to 15cm high, the practical choice when you need forty or fifty for a groundcover run. The 140mm plants are a season ahead and often flower in their first winter with you.

The fine foliage travels well, and slight dryness at the tips on arrival is normal. Expect slow growth for six months while the roots establish, then steady spread from the second season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to lower soil pH for acid loving plants
• Browse plants suited to cool climates
• Compare bee and butterfly plants
• Plants that suit rockeries and raised beds

Common questions

How many do I need for groundcover?

Plant 50cm apart, roughly four plants per square metre. At that density the mounds close over by the second season. Wider spacing still works, it just leaves bare soil to mulch for longer.

Will it grow in Queensland or northern New South Wales?

Generally no. It is rated for cool temperate and warm temperate gardens and struggles with subtropical summer heat and humidity. Elevated inland areas with cold winters are a better bet.

Is it safe around pets?

No. Heathers belong to the same family as azaleas and rhododendrons, and the foliage should be treated as toxic if chewed. Plant it away from a dog run if your pet grazes on plants.