Since the arrival on the scene of Choisya ternata Sundance (‘Lich’) back in the 1980s, there’s been a steady succession of new choisyas. In June 2009 I brought you news of White Dazzler (‘Londaz’), then in April last year there was Choisya ‘Aztec Gold’. Now, there’s another, ‘Royal Lace’ – and we’ve gone from two varieties to eleven different choisyas in just a few years.
Basically, the development of new choisyas has sprung from the popularity of the old ones. And, as a result of the fact that they’re especially popular in Britain, where the climate suits them very well, all the new introductions from Sundance until now have been developed in Britain – in fact most have been developed by just two plant breeders.
This latest, ‘Royal Lace’, was developed by Peter Moore, former propagator at the well known shrub specialist Hillier Nursery and now at Longstock Park Nursery in Hampshire.
The features that set ‘Royal Lace’ apart are its uniquely neat and compact growth, it reaches only 75cm, combined with its slender golden evergreen foliage and its mass of fragrant white flowers in late spring. It’s similar to ‘Aztec Gold’, but noticeably more dense and compact and so ideal in a container – it would look especially good in a modern garden setting in a blue glazed pot.
‘Royal Lace’ enjoys any reasonable soil, plenty of sun but should not be allowed to dry out, especially in a container.
Editor-in-Chief of the RHS Encyclopedia of Perennials; writer for a wide range of newspapers and magazines including The Garden and The Plantsman; member of the RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee and Floral Trials Committee; author of many books on plants and gardens.
Source: RHS My Garden – Choisya ‘Royal Lace’: New for containers – Graham Rice’s New Plants Blog
