Garden Bloggers' Blooms Day: Coronilla
I first came across this plant a few years ago at West Green House (pictured), where it provided useful winter colour and scent in a shady part of the garden. I decided there and then it was just what was needed to provide some winter interest for our views from the kitchen.
I finally achieved that intent last year when I bought three of these plants, which go by the catchy title (not) of Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca 'Citrina' aka Scorpion vetch or Bastard senna.
My research showed it likes sunny, walled areas as well as the shade I'd seen it in, which is just as well as that's exactly the spot I had for it. However, all is not well in my garden so far. I needed two plants, one for the top terrace bed and one for a pot next to the kitchen door, but I found it was cheaper to buy three. However my Coronilla curled up its toes at my chosen spots, and prefered my careless 'bunging' of the spare plant into another patio pot, one which can't be seen from the kitchen. There it is flowering away merrily for Blooms Day. Plants can be so fickle!
Now I have to decide whether to leave it in peace where it is, or to move it my preferred spot in the top terrace bed. My concern is that the pot - whilst relatively large - may be too small for what should grow into a small shrub of nearly three feet wide and tall. It's happy for now, but the pot also has tulips and a remnant of a Buddleja, so I suspect it won't like it there for much longer.
I also have the option of placing it in the new border I'm making at the bottom of the garden. This was going to be a woodland garden, but a month ago the neighbours behind us removed the trees that made it that way, so I now have some sunny spots down there too. My concern is the soil may not be well drained enough. Decisions... decisions...
I'll let you know how I get on!
Garden Bloggers' Blooms Day is hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.
Update: Here's a photo I took today shot from overhead so you can see why it got its name Coronilla, which in botany means any plant which carries its flowers arranged like a coronet. It's also the Spanish word for crown.