Calluna vulgaris Sandy - Heather

Calluna vulgaris Garden Girls 'Sandy' is a variety of Summer Heather that offers an interesting combination of colours, with its golden foliage that does not burn in the sun and its delicate white flowering at the end of the season. A charming little ball with compact growth, it complements all autumn colours and enlivens the garden in winter when its foliage turns crimson like a small cypress tree. Extremely hardy, it is a plant for harsh climates and acidic soils. Its compact growth is perfectly designed to withstand the wind.

Calluna vulgaris Garden Girls 'Sandy' 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. 'Sandy' is an evergreen shrub that forms small, bushy, slightly tousled shrubs, approximately 40 cm (15.7 in) in height and 50 cm (19.7 in) in width. Its growth is quite slow. Decorative all year round, it offers late flowering, starting from September and continuing until November-December. Its small white flowers, densely grouped in upright, compact, yet flexible spikes, contrast beautifully with its golden-yellow scaly foliage. Under the effect of cold, the small leaves turn purple. It is a honey plant, used in beekeeping due to its nectar's high sugar content. Heather honey is characterised by its gelatinous texture and dark colour.

In acidic soil, 'Sandy' thrives 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 mixing common heather and ling heather, changing the colour of the landscapes they form during their flowering. It brightens rockeries and borders along pathways. It adapts well to pot cultivation and will create beautiful seasonal compositions in containers. 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 in snow. It is capable of regenerating after a fire. In the past, this plant was considered magical and 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. Calluna 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 long been used in herbal medicine, as they are reputed to "dissolve stones in the bladder".