Ajuga reptans Catlins Giant

Ajuga reptans Catlin's Giant is an excellent perennial groundcover, forming a dense carpet of shiny green leaves and blooming in long spikes of bright blue. This variety is certainly the most spectacular of its genus.

With rapid growth, the Creeping Bugle Catlin's Giant roots itself securely thanks to its stolons, and can be easily controlled. It develops rosettes of evergreen oblong leaves, 15cm (6in) long, bright green with bronze highlights when they appear. From the month of May, large spikes of approximately 20cm (8in) of bright blue flowers bloom for over a month.

Ajuga reptans Catlin's Giant is not demanding in terms of soil type as long as it is moist and in a semi-shaded position. Do not let the soil dry out in winter, otherwise the foliage will become crisped and lose its beautiful colours.

The Creeping Bugle Catlin's Giant is ideal for dressing the base of trees and bushes, in pots or shaded beds in combination with spring bulbs or colourful lamiums, epimediums with graceful flowers and beautiful foliage, or Geranium macrorrhizum. It is planted in our former rose garden - now too shaded for roses - where it forms large cushions in a dense carpet alongside hostas and shade-loving perennial geraniums.