This variety of an old favourite takes a lot of beating. Aubrieta ‘Royal Violet’ is an excellent choice, forming a low cushion of evergreen leaves, literally smothered by violet coloured flowers for several weeks. Perfect for a rock garden in sun or part shade, used as a ground cover, growing over rock walls or in alpine troughs and other containers.
Commonly known as 'Rock Cress', Aubrieta is an extremely popular plant, and a familiar sight in the spring garden. Easy to grow from seed, it grows only 10cm (4in) high yet may grow to 60cm (24in) in width. In the spring they flower so prolifically, that the blossoms almost completely cover the foliage below.
Hardy to -23°C (-10°F) in Europe the foliage of Aubrieta is evergreen and provides year-round cover. This soil hugging perennial seems to thrive in impoverished and hungry shallow soils. Plant in crevices of walls or on a steep bank to flow over in a waterfall cascade of colour.
Sowing:
Sow in February to June or in September to October for flowering throughout the following summer.
Sowing Indoors:
Surface sow the seeds from late winter to early summer on the top of a good free draining seed compost, in cells or pots. They need light to germinate, so just cover the seed with a small amount of vermiculite.
Make sure the compost is moist and not wet and seal in a polythene bag until after germination which usually takes 14 to 21 days at 18 to 20°C (65 to 68°F). Keep in a coldframe or unheated greenhouse. Remove the polythene bag once the first seedlings appear.
When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them to 7cm (3in) pots to grow on. Once established, plant out 30cm (12in) apart into a well drained garden soil preferably containing lime, in a sunny site.
Sowing Direct:
Seeds can also be sown directly in open ground. Sow a few seeds into a small prepared area.
Thin out seedlings as they grow to 5cm (2in) apart.
Cultivation:
Cut the plants back severely after flowering to encourage healthy foliage growth and secondary blooms. Do not prune in autumn. Remove damaged foliage in spring. Short lived if drainage is poor or weather is too hot. Divide every 1 to 3 years.