Calluna vulgaris Garden Girls Gina - Heather

Calluna vulgaris Garden Girls 'Gina' is the leader of a new line of heather shrubs, the 'Garden Girls', which are characterised by a long-lasting, weather-resistant flowering made up of unopened flower buds. Unpollinated, the flowers have an extended lifespan. In 'Gina', the branches are upright and the flower buds are born bright pink and become pale pink, creating a beautiful range of pink on the plant. This charming variety is very hardy and will complement all the autumn colours, in rockeries, at the edge of beds or in a nice pot on a terrace. It is exclusively grown in well-drained acidic soil.

Calluna vulgaris Garden Girls 'Gina' belongs to the Ericaceae family. In its natural habitat, Calluna vulgaris is the dominant vegetation of acidic heathlands in the cold regions of the United Kingdom and Northern Europe. 'Gina' is an evergreen shrub that forms small, bushy, upright plants, about 30 cm (11.8 in) tall and 35 cm (13.8 in) wide. Its growth is slow. Decorative all year round, this cultivar blooms from early September, with flowering lasting until early November. Its flower buds are arranged in upright and flexible spikes. The dark green colour of its foliage enhances the flowering. It is a nectar-rich plant, used in beekeeping due to the high sugar content of its nectar. Heather honey is characterised by its gelatinous texture and dark colour.

Calluna vulgaris Garden Girls 'Gina' thrives in acidic, moist to dry soil, in low-maintenance gardens and wild areas, adding a touch of refinement. It can be planted in groups with other varieties and cultivars (which are countless), small grasses or even dwarf asters. To achieve a long winter flowering, one can imitate nature by combining common heather and ash-coloured heather, changing the colour of the landscapes they form during their flowering. This little plant will brighten up rockeries and borders along pathways. It adapts very well to container gardening and will create beautiful seasonal compositions. Planted in ericaceous beds, it will cover the base of rhododendrons or witch hazels.

Calluna vulgaris can withstand moderate grazing. It represents an important source of food for sheep and deer when vegetation is covered with snow. It is capable of regenerating after a fire. In the past, this plant was considered magical and was used in white magic rituals; it was believed to have protective powers, as in the Breton heathlands where it is said to ward off ghostly spirits. Heather is also an ingredient in gruit, an aromatic composition used in beer brewing before the use of hops in the Middle Ages. Its flowering tops have been used in herbal medicine for a long time, as they are reputed to "dissolve stones in the bladder".