Origanum 'Kent Beauty'
Origanum 'Kent Beauty' is one of the showiest ornamental oreganos, perfect for the front of a sun-baked border or rambling through Mediterranean-style gardens and rockeries. This highly efficient ground cover is also a perfect choice for containers, window boxes or hanging baskets with its cascading stems and low water requirements. A recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, the pendulous whorls of colourful pink and chartreuse bracts smother the plant throughout late summer and well into autumn, thriving in hot, dry and difficult conditions including coastal exposure. The beautiful grey green foliage with prominent silver veins add fragrance to the garden when brushed against at path edges or in pots on the balcony or terrace. The aromatic leaves and charming clusters of papery flowers are useful in dried flower arrangements and pot pourri but not recommended for culinary purposes.
Full sun, well-drained soil, extremely drought and heat tolerant. Suitable for low fertility, sandy or gravelly conditions, intolerant of humidity. Trim back old flowering stems in early spring to maintain a bushy habit and make way for fresh new foliage growth.