Amethyst (H1) flowers, VIII–IX; gold foliage in summer, turning bronze in winter; broad upright habit; height 15cm; spread 20cm. Found on Bennachie, a mountain west of Inverurie, Scotland, by James Mackay (Blairdaff, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland) before 1995 {see J. R. Mackay, 2009 A love affair with heathers. Heathers 6: 25–33}.
Heathers
‘Bennachie Prostrate’
Mauve flowers, VIII; mid-green foliage; semi-prostrate and twiggy; height 5cm; spread 30cm. Another found by James Mackay on the same day as ‘Bennachie Bronze‘ {see J. R. Mackay, 2009 A love affair with heathers. Heathers 6: 25–33}.
‘Ben Nevis’
White flowers, VIII–IX; bright green foliage; dwarf with twisted growth; height 16–20cm; spread 31–45cm.
Found by R. J. Brien (Pitcairngreen Heather Farm, Perthshire, Scotland); introduced by R. J. Brien by 1977.
Named after the mountain on which it was found?
‘Beoley Crimson’
Bright crimson (H13) flowers, IX–X; dark green foliage; open erect habit; height 26–30cm; spread 31–45cm.
Found at Beechwood Nursery (Beoley, Redditch, Worcestershire, England) by J. W. Sparkes; introduced by J. W. Sparkes and P. W. Sparkes in conjunction with Tabramhill Gardens (Nottingham) about 1970.
Named after the Worcestershire village near Sparkes’ nursery.
‘Beoley Crimson Variegated’
Crimson flowers, IX–X; dark green foliage flecked with yellow; upright habit; height 31–45cm; spread 46–60cm. Sport from ‘Beoley Crimson’.
‘Beoley Gold’
White flowers, VIII–IX; yellow foliage throughout the year; upright habit; height 31–45cm; spread 46–60cm.
Found by J. W. Sparkes at Beech Wood Nursery (Beoley, Redditch, Worcestershire, England) before 1963 and thought to be a seedling from ‘Gold Haze‘.
Named after the Worcestershire village near Sparkes’ nursery, and the foliage colour.
‘Beoley Silver’
White flowers, IX–X; silvery, pubescent foliage; height 31–45cm; spread 46–60cm. One of the better grey-foliaged lings.
‘Bernadette’
Pale purple (H10) flowers, VII–VIII; yellow-green foliage turning bronze-red in winter; low, spreading habit; height 16–20cm; spread 46–60cm.
Found by H. M. J. Blum (Steenwijkerwold, Netherlands) in 1977; introduced by P.G. Zwijnenburg (Boskoop, Netherlands) in 1982.
Named after the finder’s fourth daughter.
‘Betty Baum’
Lilac-pink (H11) flowers, IX–X; dark green foliage turning an attractive brown in winter; open spreading habit; height 46–60cm; spread 75–100cm. Found in Scotland by Betty Baum (Aviemore, Inverness-shire), a worker at Jack Drake’s Inshriach Nursery, Aviemore by 1966 but the cultivar was available in Belgium in 1963!
‘Bispingen’
Dark lilac flowers, VIII–IX; golden-yellow foliage turing copper-red in winter; height 26–30cm; spread 31–45cm. Similar to ‘Cuprea’