I could not think of a more different winter to last year! While last February it was dry and cold with frosts most morning, and snow in March, this year bulbs are appearing, snowdrops are open and buds on trees are starting to show signs of growth, something we didn’t see last year till April! Winter-flowering heathers (Erica carnea and E. darleyensis) have been in flower since November, unlike last year when they didn’t show colour till March.
But on a cold day in March last year I did enjoy some colour on a day to The National Botanic Garden, Glasnevin.

The Temperate range at Glasnevin

Erica nana is a South African, Cape, frost-tender shrub that grows to about 45cm high, blooming in spring in the northern hemisphere. The flowers are about 20mm long and open lime-yellow and become more yellow as they mature. I do not know if this species is in cultivation in the UK or ROI.

Erica nana with gazania foliage at Glasnevin

The South African heathers are beautiful plants, far more interesting than the hardy kinds, and very popular a century ago for greenhouse decoration but much less common now. The only one that is seen in garden centres is E. gracilis in autumn, usually dead by the time you get it home because it is dried out.

Erica nana

erica gracilis, Erica nana, glasnevin