Duo of Escallonias

This Duo of Escallonias brings together two excellent varieties of hybrid Escallonia, an ideal choice for discovering these evergreen bushes which are perfectly adapted to mild coastal climates. 'Iveyi' is a vigorous hedge bush that produces lightly scented white flowers, while 'Pink Elle', with its compact growth and pink flowers, is a decorative plant that is easy to shape, perfect in a pretty pot on the terrace or in a low border. They can be grown in full sun or partial shade, in any well-drained soil that is not too chalky.

The duo consists of:

1 Escallonia 'Iveyi': a bushy shrub reaching 2.50 m in all directions, with gracefully arching branches, flowering in June-July and then again in September. It is hardy down to -10 °C once mature and can be grown in a large container, allowing it to be overwintered in colder regions.

1 Escallonia laevis 'Pink Elle': an adorable small shrub reaching 80 cm in all directions. It is easy to manage its size with appropriate pruning in height or width, perfect for the terrace or a small garden. From June-July to September-October, it is adorned with panicles of pink flowers streaked with white. This drought-tolerant variety is hardy down to -12°C once established.

You can plant these escallonias directly in the ground in milder regions. Elsewhere, it is better to grow them in a large container (30 to 40 litres) to protect them from severe frost. In areas with borderline hardiness, it is best to plant in March. In Mediterranean climates, on the other hand, planting in October is recommended. In any case, they should be grown in loose, fairly light, well-drained soil, preferably not chalky. The 'Iveyi' variety is best used in a hedge or shrub border with other evergreen hedge plants, with a spacing of 1.50 m between each plant. Escallonia 'Pink Elle' can be placed in front of the hedge or border, mixed with rockroses, a creeping ceanothus 'Blue Diamond', or a small Mexican orange tree like 'White Dazzler'. In this case, space the shrubs 70 to 80 cm apart.