Inspiration

Why you’ll want to fill your vases with heather this winter

Every dreary winter interior could do with a few bunches of heather for a fun burst colour. Here’s how you can add these long-lasting flowers to every room in your home

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Why you’ll want to fill your vases with heather this winter

Erica is a bushy, bell-shaped floral with a woody stem, also known as heath or heather. In autumn and early winter you can buy cut stems in pink and white. The flower is often used in wedding bouquets, or as a filler in traditional floral arrangements. Here we have styled the berry-coloured variety en masse to showcase its strong colour.

You could style a white variety with more delicate florals such as spray roses, stock or snapdragon for a more traditional look. Erica is a long-lasting flower, staying fresh in a vase for up to two weeks if the water is changed daily.

Ericas (heaths) are a large group of evergreen shrubs and small trees, many of which flower in winter. Most ericas come from South Africa and these are a little trickier to grow than the European or North African species. Their tubular, bell- or urn-shaped flowers come in shades from white to pink, mauve and vivid red. Ranging in size from low groundcovers to tree heaths that measure 1m-plus, ericas prefer full sun and well-drained, moisture-retaining soil. Cutting back after flowering (not too heavily) will stimulate new growth.

Photography by: Wendy Fenwick.

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