Periwinkle

This creeping vine is a hardy quick growing plant and can be trained round a frame, up a wall or even along the ground or a rockery.

Periwinkles are very vigorous and will cover a bare patch or hedge quite quickly. In a small garden you can keep it in a pot to contain it and it is quite happy even in our cold UK winters.

How often you need to water your periwinkle will depend on the conditions and whether you have planted it out. You should aim to keep the soil damp if it’s in a pot, watering once a twice a week in winter and up to every day in Summer in warm weather. In the ground you should only need to water in dry spells.

It is ok to place them in a shallow saucer of water or to put a little bit of extra water in the bottom of the pail if you will be away for a few days.

As the days get longer your periwinkle will continue to put on new growth. If you do keep it in a pot, you would expect to repot your plant once a year in the Spring using multipurpose compost to keep it’s roots healthy and long term it will be happiest outdoors in a nice shady spot where it can climb. Periwinkle is quite vigorous and will cover a wall or fence quite quickly but it is very tough so don’t be afraid to prune it back to keep it in shape.