Vinca minor 'Gertrude Jekyll' is a beautiful and reliable evergreen ground cover plant, prized for its profusion of pure white, star-shaped flowers set against glossy, dark green foliage. This award-winning variety (RHS Award of Garden Merit) is one of the finest white-flowered periwinkles available, forming a dense, weed-suppressing carpet that thrives in a wide range of conditions, including shaded areas where many other plants struggle.

Once established, this hardy periwinkle requires very little maintenance, spreading steadily to clothe bare ground, banks, and borders with attractive evergreen cover. It is perfect for underplanting beneath trees and shrubs, filling gaps in mixed borders, or trailing over walls and containers.

Key Features:

• Pure white, star-shaped flowers from spring into early summer


• Glossy, dark green evergreen foliage providing year-round interest


• Excellent ground cover – suppresses weeds once established


• Thrives in sun, partial shade, or full shade


• Low maintenance and drought tolerant once established


• Ideal for underplanting, banks, borders, and containers


• Supplied as a 17cm root-ball, ready for planting

Cultural Information:

• Botanical Name: Vinca minor 'Gertrude Jekyll'


• Common Names: Lesser Periwinkle, Creeping Myrtle, Periwinkle


• Classification: Hardy Evergreen Perennial Ground Cover


• Fully Grown Height and Spread: 10–20 cm x 60–90 cm (or more over time)


• Growth Habit: Low-Growing, Trailing, Spreading Evergreen Ground Cover


• Perfect For: Ground Cover, Underplanting, Banks, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Containers, Wall Tops


• Flowering Time: Spring to Early Summer (with occasional later flowers)


• Flower Colour: Pure White


• Planting Position: Full Sun, Partial Shade, or Full Shade


• Soil Requirements: Any Well-Drained to Moderately Moist Soil


• Hardiness: Fully Hardy (tolerates temperatures down to approximately -15°C)


• Type: Hardy Evergreen Perennial


• Foliage: Glossy, Dark Green, Oval Evergreen Leaves


• Awards: RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM)

Planting and Care:

Plant in any reasonable garden soil, spacing approximately 30–45 cm apart for effective ground cover. Water well after planting and during dry spells until established. Once settled in, Vinca minor is remarkably low maintenance. A light trim after flowering helps maintain a neat, compact habit and can encourage a second flush of blooms. Apply a general-purpose feed in spring to encourage healthy growth.

Notes: This listing is for the Gertrude Jekyll variety, distinguished by its elegant pure white flowers. An excellent choice for gardeners seeking bright, clean colour in shaded or partially shaded areas of the garden.