I visited the Royal Horticultural Society garden nursery today at Harlow Carr and although it was relatively quiet, compared with spring and summer months, there were a few things that caught my eye. First and brightest was the small, potted, Skimmia japonica 'Temptation' with it's cheerfully bright red berries and shiny, fleshy leaves. What a gem at what a price. Quickly I put it back and took a photograph instead! Imagine having this wonderful evergreen shrub growing in your garden in winter though. Apparently it is a self-fertile variety so no need to buy more than one.
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| Skimmia japonica 'Temptation' - 17 December 2014 |
Skimmia japonica 'Temptation' has small white flowers in spring which attracts pollinators. It will accept any aspect, and likes neutral soil. I read that it has bushy growth, is ideal for a container, and only grows to about 2ft. Hmmm, a rose of mine was supposed to grow to 2ft but it reaches 5ft!
I understand it is mildly poisonous so care must be taken. The berries look deliciously tempting. Many plants that we grow are poisonous to some degree, including rhubarb leaves, lilies, privet, and potatoes that are green.