Gertrude Jekyll Periwinkle Plants

Vinca minor 'Gertrude Jekyll', White Periwinkle Plants

Gertrude Jekyll Periwinkle is a low growing ground cover vine that suppresses weeds beautifully without being too invasive. It is popular with parents of small children and urban planners because it can take a fair amount of trampling without complaint, and for bonus points deer and rabbits don't like it. It has evergreen leaves and white flowers shaped like stars from April/May to August, even September in a warm year.
Browse our other ground cover plants, or all of our shrubs.

Features:

• White flowers
• Evergreen leaves.
• Flowering: Apr/May-Aug/Sept
• Height x Spread: 15 x 50cm
• Tough, trample resistant ground cover & informal edging.
• Thrives in the shade

Growing Vinca minor Gertrude Jekyll

Suitable for any well drained soil, they prefer a bit of shade to full sun, and will plod along in full shade. Mature plants in the shade are moderately drought tolerant, but we stress that they are shallow rooted and young plants are sensitive to drying out for their first couple of years, until they get big enough to shade the soil well by themselves, so water them diligently during that time. Mature ones in full sun will need some watering during dry summer spells.

Their roots are not aggressive enough to be considered really invasive, but left unchecked, the stems tend to grow through and slowly smother small plants up to about 30cm high. Anything taller than that should be fine.

In Your Garden Design

Named after the legendary doyenne of Edwardian English gardens Gertrude Jekyll, Vinca Minor’s little white flowers would enhance the front of any border or alternatively provide useful ground cover. Jekyll was fond was using white flowers in shady areas and this one is a particularly good solution to finding a pretty plant that goes to areas others can't reach. Containers, rockeries and walls are all good locations for it as well as being placed under trees and shrubs. Hellebores and Hostas are winning combinations as are Astrantia Star of Passion. Go all white for the real Jekyll look - just make sure plants are tall enough not to be smothered by the periwinkle. These would look good beneath Choiysia White Dazzler.

Did You Know?

The common colour associated with periwinkles is a blue-ish purple, symbolising serenity and friendship. The white variety symbolises purity and chastity: the Virgin Mary is often depicted wearing it in Catholic iconography.