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Aubrieta

februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
in Plants
I've been trying for a while now to find a plant to cascade over the edges of my raised beds but as I want primarily foliage and not flowers, it's proving difficult. I am now considering Aubrieta mainly because I've very little flowering for the bees in the spring and Aubretia would fit the bill there (I'm also going to have to concede that my colour scheme of copper is not the easiest in the world to work with). The only thing that keeps me in two minds is that the recommendation seems to be to cut it back hard after flowering except I want to keep the foliage going. Would it be an issue if I delayed cutting it back until the autumn?

If I were go with the Aubretia, can the seeds be sown in the Autumn rather than late winter?  
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Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    No idea re growing Aubrieta, just had to say how nice it is to see correct spelling in your title


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    How about Lysimachia nummularia.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • daisymdaisym Posts: 108
    I find that if I cut off all the finished flowers and then cut the aubretia plant to a nice clump/round shape, then the foliage looks good for the rest of the summer. My plants are cascading down over a stone wall and have been there for many years.
    East Dunbartonshire
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    @nutcutlet I try 😄

    @punkdoc I did consider Lysimachia Nummularia but it flowers in the summer along with practically everything else in my garden. I desperately need spring interest and Aubrieta would sort that out nicely.

    @daisym Thanks for the tip 🙂
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @februarysgirl If you cut back Aubrieta after flowering using shears and water well it will start to regrow in 2 weeks. The end result is a nice flat carpet of greenery. You just have to accept it needs a chance to regrow.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    @GardenerSuze If it starts to regrow in two weeks that'll work out nicely. Thanks for the advice 🙂
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @februarysgirl I do the same with pulmonarias and some of the hardy geraniums. G Macrorrhizum works really well. It will look good well into Autumn. Water is the key after cutting back. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I was interested in the idea of a copper colour scheme (unusual for spring). Google found x Heucherella "Copper Cascade" which might fit the bill for foliage, if the area is in partial shade.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    @JennyJ Alas my garden is south facing so not much in the way of partial shade. I did try some allegedly sun tolerant heucheras/heucherellas but the leaves still got a bit singed. The only real shade I have is the bottom bed but it's purple down there in memory of my mum who was purple mad!
  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,906
    Have you had a look at Muehlenbeckia? It does get teeny white flowers but the stems can look quite coppery and it is evergreen.



    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
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