Plant of the Month by Martin Fish

TIARELLA – ‘PINK SKYROCKET’

 

If you are looking for a low growing plant that flowers its head off from spring through until mid-summer, Tiarella ‘Skyrocket’ certainly fits the bill!

It’s a low growing perennial that grows to around 30cm (1ft) tall with a similar spread and has green, palmate foliage with attractive maroon markings.

It retains most of its foliage throughout winter and come spring all you have to do is pick off any dead leaves and a flush of fresh new foliage will follow.

The flowers start to develop in mid-spring and it’s these that give it the name skyrocket because the spires of star-shaped flowers start off deep pink and open to a paler pink as they mature. Each plant will produce many flowering stems at a time giving a mass of frothy flowers, hence the common name of “foam flower”

Tiarella ‘Skyrocket’ will grow in most well-drained soils and is perfect for the front of the border or as ground cover between shrubs and other plants where it will make a carpet of foliage and flowers.

It grows best in shade or semi-shade, although it’s perfectly fine in early morning or late afternoon sun. It’s also perfect in containers on a shady patio where it will put on a show for many months.

Martin Fish is a gardening columnist, broadcaster, speaker, RHS judge and all-round horticulture expert. He writes for publications including Garden Answers, Kitchen Garden and Which? Gardening.

We have worked with Martin closely over a number of years and each month he will be choosing a favourite Plant of the Month for us, with tips and advice for planting and growing in the garden.

You can find more about Martin at www.martinfish.com or find him on Twitter!