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what is Mertus

primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817
in Plants

I saw a picture in an old magazine ( English Garden I think) it said it had perfumed flowers image Autumn time I think possibly evergreen. Any ideas?

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  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,813

    It might be myrtus better known as myrtle.

  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Morning allimage quite possibly got the spelling wrongimage  I'll check it out Steephill thanks, I need to see how big it will get etc.

  • Chrissy the gardenerChrissy the gardener Posts: 1,072

    A small shrub,a little tender and yes it is evergreen,

    i think it is a tradition for royal brides to have some in their bouquets .

  • gardenninggrannygardenninggranny Posts: 803

    I have one in a clay pot and it has hardly grown in three years - a dwarf scrubby shrub.  I pop it in the greenhouse for the winter....perhaps I'll treat it to a bit of fertiliser this year!  I've not seen any flowers yet, though.

  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Hi Chrissy I haven't got a wedding in the offing imagebut I might ask at the garden centre if it is available at this time of year

    . I Don't mind having it in a pot GG but I would like it to flower quicker than 3yearsimage

    I have a Daphne I purchased through GW and it is still flowerless 3 springs on,image

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    Myrtle needs a sunny spot against a south-facing wall to do well in most of the UK and is slow-growing, judging from mine which is in the perfect spot.  It is an evergreen mediterranean shrub originally introduced by the Romans. 

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Hi Runnybreak are you suggesting I move and leave my Daphneimage  it seems a bit drastic.image Do you suggest that I also treat a Myrtle  the same way image

    Bob I don't have a true south facing wall but I am in the balmy(or perhaps barmy ) south.How big has your plant grown and has it got a big root system,?image

  • Jennie 3Jennie 3 Posts: 33

    Hi - I live in Jersey & have had a large Myrtle which flowered from July to the end of October every year. Looked like it was covered in snow, very pretty but the snow & south westerly high winds in 2012 knocked it down completely. Lucky for me it did have seedlings & one has taken it's place. This time I think I'll contain the height to keep it from the winds...hopefully!

    It does have a perfume but seems not to flower when small. Mine is in the garden & there it shoots up quite quickly. Am waiting to see if it flowers this year.

    It started out in a semi shady northwest/northeast aspect but once it cleared the fence it was in a sunnier southwest position. There are a lot of trees surrounding my place. 

    Hope you find this helpful to you? image

  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Thanks Jennieimage although I'm in the south I don't think it's as temperate as Jersey.I have been to the garden centre this morning and they don't stock them,perhaps due to their tender needsimage If yours grow in the garden I will still carry on with my quest.

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    Hi primrose, this is mine which has only been planted about 18 months and has grown about 2 inches during that time:

    image

     It was put there to eventually hide the damaged brickwork near the downpipe.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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