Lavatera 'Mary Hope' 4L

A more compact form of Lavatera with profuse white flowers with a red eye. This plant needs sun and well drained soil and can be pruned back hard in the early spring for better flowering.

• Height: 1.5m (4-5ft)
• Flowering Period: July-September
• Growing Conditions: Full sun or very light shade in a fertile moist and humus rich soil that drains well.

Planting

Dig to about a spades depth and mix in organic material - we recommend Blended Farmyard Manure or Rose, Tree and Shrub compost. If the shrub is ericaceous (acid loving) such as Acer, Camellia, Crinodendron, Cytisus, Fothergilla, some Hydrangeas, Kalmia, Leucothoe, Magnolia, Pernettya, Pieris, Skimmia use this mixed into the planting area. When planting in the Autumn or Winter use a mug full of Bone meal mixed in too, if you are planting in the growing season (ie Spring or summer) use a balanced feed such as Fish, Blood and Bone, Vitax Q4 or one of the slow release pellets. Remove the shrub from the pot and plant so the top of the root ball is at exactly the same depth as it is in the pot and firm well with your foot so that the plant is stable. Water well.

Aftercare

Feed in early spring with a balanced feed (ericaceous food for acid loving varieties) making sure that the food does not come into contact with the stems or leaves of the plant and water it in if the weather and soil are dry. This should feed the plant for the entire growing season but if the plant looks a little yellow or is growing poorly later on in the summer, use a liquid feed (such as Miraclegro, Phostrogen or equivalent for acid loving varieties) as this will be fast acting and should be continued until September at fortnightly intervals. Please check first that the plant is not either too wet or too dry. Your shrub will need watering regularly until it is established and/or if the weather is dry. Remember that initially the root ball will have made little growth in to the surrounding soil and it is important to keep this moist for the first season and in dry spells in subsequent seasons. Some plants (see individual descriptions) are more drought resistant than others and will need less water but many plants depending what sort of environment they would grow in naturally will always need extra water when we are experiencing a drought. The secret with watering is to water well and thoroughly and then leave it - don’t water little and often. This will encourage roots to move to the top of the soil where they are more vulnerable to drying out and also may leave the centre or bottom of the rootball permanently dry causing permanent damage.

Pruning

All Lavateras should be pruned back hard in the early spring, down to about 30-45cm(1-1.5ft)

Please note: All plants listed are stocked by Bents at various periods throughout the year, however, due to seasonality and variations in weather and growing conditions some lines may be unavailable. We advise contacting the store prior to your visit to check on availability.