MANY THINGS in the garden are gratifying, but one of the greatest pleasures is discoveries found during walks in the garden.
Two years ago, a small seedling of Echium candicans sprouted on the open hillside in the Gardens at Heather Farm. It is growing in one of the few spaces not yet developed into formal garden space.
Years ago, the area was nothing but weeds. But now it is thriving with rich soil that is perfect for planting. Each autumn, leaves from the garden are deposited on the hillside. This keeps the weeds from growing, and at the same time starts the process of building a soil that is rich with microorganisms hard at work creating the perfect soil for planting. Simple yet satisfying.
From seedling to full size, the Echium candicans has depended only on the winter rains for its water, and the soil created from decaying leaves. This spring it has matured enough to be in full bloom, and this once-barren hillside is now brightened by huge torches of violet blue flowers that rise above the foliage of Echium candicans.
Echium is a member of the Boraginaceae family, which includes the garden herb borage. All have stiff hairy leaves that can sometimes cause irritation to the skin when handling.
There are about 40 species to this family and all come from Africa, West Asia or the Canary Islands. In their native habitat, they are found growing on stony hillsides, cliffs or open grasslands.
Echium candicans, commonly known as Pride of Madeira, is a fast-growing shrub from the Canary Islands that is drought-tolerant and known for its spectacular show of flowers during the spring. Bees love to visit the flowers and it is an easy shrub to grow in a garden with a lot of space. Echium can reach a height and width of 6 feet, is hardy to about 25 degrees, likes full sun and lives about five to seven years.
Prune the flower stalks back and lightly reshape when it is finished blooming. Echium will reseed in the garden, but is not invasive if summer water is limited.
Plant sale
The annual spring plant sale at the Gardens at Heather Farm is 9 a.m.-noon today at the gardens’ greenhouse, 600 N. San Carlos Drive, Walnut Creek. Members get a 10 percent discount, and you can join at the sale and get the discount.
Patrice Hanlon, garden manager at Walnut Creek’s Gardens at Heather Farm, writes about plants in the garden that grow well in the fertile Bay Area. For more information about the Gardens at Heather Farm, go to www.gardenshf.org, or visit in person at 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek.
