Christmas Closure Notice: We will be closed from Tuesday 23rd December and reopen on 5th January.
Vinca minor 'Gertrude Jekyll'
A charming white-flowered periwinkle with refined elegance and reliable performance
Overview
Vinca minor 'Gertrude Jekyll' is an exceptional cultivar of the beloved lesser periwinkle that brings refined elegance to the garden with its pure white flowers and compact habit. Named after the legendary garden designer, this variety offers all the reliable ground-covering benefits of its parent species whilst displaying a more restrained growth pattern and delicate beauty. With glistening white flowers that are both smaller and more refined than typical varieties, 'Gertrude Jekyll' produces a profusion of pure white flowers from April to September, brightening shaded areas and adding long-lasting interest.
Key Features
- Flowering Period: April to September
- Mature Size: 10cm tall
- Spread: 50cm wide
- Growth Rate: Moderate spreading habit
- Hardiness: Hardy in the UK down to temperatures of -15 to -20 degrees Celcius (RHS hardiness rating H6)
- Soil Requirements: Moist but well-draining, adaptable to most garden soils
- Aspect: Shade to partial sun (flowers best in good light)
- Type: Evergreen perennial ground cover
Appearance and Characteristics
Flowers
The small white starry flowers appear from April to July, creating a carpet of pure white blooms that illuminate even the darkest corners of the garden. The star-shaped flowers are pure white and appear above dark green foliage, providing a striking contrast that catches the eye from spring through to autumn. Unlike the more vigorous blue-flowered species, 'Gertrude Jekyll' offers a softer, more sophisticated appearance that complements rather than dominates neighbouring plants.
Foliage
The spreading stems provide glossy, evergreen foliage that makes useful, weed-beating ground cover. This unique variety features smaller light green leaves that create a neat, refined carpet throughout the year. The evergreen nature ensures year-round structure and interest, whilst the compact leaf size gives the plant a more delicate appearance than its larger-leaved relatives.
Growth Habit
Unlike other V.minor varieties, it is less vigorous and can easily be maintained at a height of 10cm, making it ideal for gardeners who want effective ground cover without the aggressive spreading nature of typical periwinkles. This vigorous carpeter maintains a compact habit, spreading steadily but controllably to form dense mats that suppress weeds effectively.
Growing Conditions
Soil Requirements
For best results grow in moist but well-drained soil. Easy to grow in all but the driest soils, 'Gertrude Jekyll' adapts to a wide range of soil conditions from sandy loams to heavier clay soils. Good drainage prevents root rot, whilst consistent moisture supports the best flowering performance and foliage quality.
Light Requirements
It's ideal for growing in shady sites, but you will get far more flowers where the light is good. Flowers best in full sun but very useful for shady areas, this versatile periwinkle thrives in conditions where many other flowering plants struggle. Evergreen for a shady position, it provides reliable performance in difficult spots whilst rewarding gardeners with increased flowering in brighter locations.
Watering Needs
Once established, 'Gertrude Jekyll' demonstrates good drought tolerance, though consistent moisture during dry spells maintains the best flowering performance and foliage quality. The plant's spreading root system helps it access moisture effectively, making it suitable for areas with irregular watering.
Planting and Care
Planting
Plant from spring through early autumn in areas where reliable ground cover is needed. This low growing, creeping plant will thrive in the most inhospitable of places, making it perfect for problem areas under trees, on banks, or in other challenging locations. Space plants 30-40cm apart for effective coverage within two growing seasons.
Maintenance
Requires little attention or maintenance, making 'Gertrude Jekyll' an ideal choice for busy gardeners or extensive ground cover areas. Low Maintenance requirements include occasional tidying of spreading stems if containment is needed. May have the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well, so periodic edge trimming helps maintain boundaries.
Propagation
Propagate by division in spring or autumn and by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer. To propagate, divide plants from autumn to spring. The spreading nature means established plants readily provide material for division, allowing gardeners to expand their plantings economically.
Ground Cover
Its low-growing habit is ideal for suppressing weeds and filling gaps in borders, under shrubs, or along paths. The dense growth effectively prevents weed establishment whilst providing attractive, evergreen coverage that looks good throughout the year.
Problem Area Solution
Vinca is ideal for tricky areas where nothing else will grow, making 'Gertrude Jekyll' invaluable for challenging garden situations. Steep banks, dry shade under trees, or awkward corners all benefit from this reliable performer.
Woodland Gardens
Makes a lovely ground cover, particularly in those hard to get to areas. The shade tolerance and low maintenance requirements make it perfect for naturalising in woodland settings or wild gardens where regular care is impractical.
Border Edging
The controlled spreading habit and neat appearance make 'Gertrude Jekyll' suitable for edging borders where a soft, informal boundary is desired. The white flowers provide seasonal highlights without overwhelming neighbouring plants.
Companion Planting
'Gertrude Jekyll' pairs beautifully with shade-tolerant plants that complement its white flowers and evergreen foliage. Spring bulbs like snowdrops, crocuses, and daffodils push through the periwinkle carpet to create layered seasonal interest. Hostas, ferns, and astilbes provide contrasting textures and forms, whilst hellebores offer complementary winter and spring flowering. For year-round structure, combine with dwarf shrubs like skimmia or sarcococca that share similar growing conditions.
Wildlife Value
The long flowering season provides valuable nectar for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators from spring through autumn. The dense growth offers shelter for small creatures, whilst the evergreen nature provides year-round habitat.
Pollution Tolerance
Like other vincas, 'Gertrude Jekyll' demonstrates good tolerance to urban pollution, making it suitable for city gardens, roadside plantings, or areas with poor air quality.
Considerations
Spread Control
May have the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well. Regular monitoring and edge trimming help maintain desired boundaries, though the less vigorous nature of 'Gertrude Jekyll' makes this less of a concern than with typical periwinkles.
Establishment Time
New plantings may take a full growing season to establish effective coverage. Patience during the establishment phase is rewarded with decades of reliable performance.
Why Choose 'Gertrude Jekyll'?
This refined cultivar offers the perfect balance between effectiveness and elegance, providing all the ground-covering benefits of periwinkle with a more sophisticated appearance. The pure white flowers bring light to shaded areas where colour is often lacking, whilst the controlled growth habit makes it suitable for smaller gardens or areas where restraint is important. For gardeners seeking reliable, low-maintenance ground cover that doesn't compromise on beauty, Vinca minor 'Gertrude Jekyll' delivers outstanding performance with timeless appeal.
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
* Please Note: Shrubs in 20 litre pots and above might require a pallet delivery starting at £79.99 per pallet. Depending on the exact pot size and height it may be possible to get approximately 5 plants per pallet at no extra cost. The maximum height we can dispatch on a pallet is 2.0m, this includes the height of the pallet and pot.
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.
| Size | Availability | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
In stock
|
£9.99 |