Escallonia plants
Escallonia are an attractive group of evergreen, small to medium sized shrubs producing an abundance of small tubular, fragrant flowers in shades of white, pink and red through the summer. Native to Chile, they have small, glossy leaves with quite a speedy growth rate and exotic appearance, making them a popular choice for budding gardeners. Escallonia works well as a flowering hedge in exposed sites, standing up to harsh winds, salt spray and pollution. They're also suited to growing in pots on the patio, as small specimen plants or trained up a wall as a climber and will reward you with bright blooms at a time when most other flowers have faded. Although classified as evergreen some Escallonia plants may lose their leaves in particularly harsh winters but otherwise the dark foliage provides the perfect background for the bright summer flowers and makes an effective windbreak. Escallonia are unfussy about soil type and will succeed in full sun or partial shade. Prune back flowering shoots and trim Escallonia grown as a hedge in autumn.