Ellen is getting out of hand again. She is admittedly very attractive and generally quite well-behaved, she is just doing too well compared to her weaker neighbours. I am of course talking about the variegated Escallonia laevis “Gold Ellen“. She is spreading out her skirts in the Bay Tree Bed and has swamped some of the less vigorous members along the way. Escallonias are known for their love of coastal conditions and this one is no exception to the rule. Evergreen glossy foliage ensures year round appeal and the splashed lime-green young leaves provide a perfect foil to the generous rich pink flowers. If planted in a sunnier position the leaf variegation would be even more pronounced but even in part shade the summer colour is wonderfully fresh. Once she has finished flowering a judicious prune will keep her under control in the short-term but I fear this will be a temporary measure only as she is definitely intent on world domination.
All characters in this blog are fictional and any resemblance to lovely sister-in-laws are purely co-incidental.
