Erica darleyensis Winter Belles Tylou - Winter Heath

Erica x darleyensis Winter Belles 'Tylou' is one of the latest additions to the excellent 'Winter Belles' series. This variety bears a stunning autumn to winter flowering in a bright carmine pink. Its green to bronze foliage is beautifully tinged with gold, and remains attractive all year round. This creeping, almost ground-covering bush is perfect for adorning a rockery or a large border along a pathway. Hardy and accommodating, this heather will suit every garden. By combining different varieties with staggered flowering, Darley heathers form a patchwork of colours for 6 to 7 months, in the garden or in pots. They will even work in slightly calcareous and dry soil.

'Erica x darleyensis' is a cross 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. The cultivar 'Tylou', a mutation of Winter Belles® 'Lucie', was recently obtained in France by Renault nurseries.

This small evergreen bush, with a rounded and spreading habit, will reach approximately 40 cm (15.7 in) in height and 50 cm to 60 cm (19.7 in to 23.6 in) in width at maturity. Its growth is quite slow. Its lifespan is around 10 to 15 years. 'Tylou' flowers for a long time, between November and March, depending on the climate. Its flowers have the appearance of small urns, 7 mm (0.3 in) long and 4 mm (0.2 in) wide. Their colour is intermediate between magenta pink and carmine pink, highlighted by brown stamens that protrude from the corolla. These flowers are gathered in beautiful clusters, 6 cm to 10 cm (2.4 in to 3.9 in) long, scattered along the branches, amidst linear and slender leaves, 3 mm to 10 mm (0.1 in to 0.4 in) long. The evergreen foliage is dark green, strongly tinged with yellow on young shoots. It takes on more or less bronzed or coppery hues when exposed to cold.

Hardy and not very demanding on the nature of the soil, it is an ideal small bush for the layout of winter heather beds, in the company of other varieties, such as the white and snowy 'Silberschmelze' or 'Eva Gold', with golden-copper foliage. Darley heather is also an excellent ground cover for borders and slopes, whether alone or associated with creeping dwarf conifers (Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star', J. horizontalis 'Blue Chip', J. repanda). A row of heathers installed at the top of a retaining wall always provides a sensational spectacle in winter, mixed with silver basket or aubrieta for example. Also plant early spring-flowering narcissus and tulips among your winter heathers: their flowers will emerge from the cushions of heather covered with flowers very early in the season, while the heathers will hide their dry foliage in summer.