By MONA ABBOUD
Published by Wood Vale Publishing
144 pages. RRP £9.99
ISBN 978-1-5272-5591-3
Please leave a comment below to be included in the draw for a copy of the book.
Having something beautiful to focus on is a blessing at the moment. This week I’m learning all about Corokias, thanks to a new book by passionate gardener Mona Abboud. Corokias are New Zealand plants with leaves that resemble Mediterranean olives. They can be grown as low hedges, as a replacement for box hedging that’s been ravaged by blight or box tree caterpillar. As well as being useful, they are quite beautiful with names such as Frosted Chocolate, Sunsplash, Red Wonder, Silver Ghost, and my favourite, Coco. The undersides of leaves are always silver, but the colour of the surface of the leaf can be plum, bronze, silver and yellow. There are also very pretty variegated leaves.
Corokia Sunsplash -lit up with tiny yellow flowers.
Corokias produce small star-like flowers in spring and pea-size red, orange or nearly black berries in autumn.
Mona has appeared on BBC1 and More4 with her much-acclaimed garden created in Muswell Hill, London. She has a collection of 40 species of corokia and is a Plant Heritage National Collection holder. Her unusual and beautiful garden has won a gold medal from the London Gardens Society.
Mona has travelled all over the world in search of plants in what she describes as her “corokia adventure.” It’s impossible not to be caught up and swept along by her enthusiasm for these “largely unknown and undervalued” plants. Her passion for corokias endears her to growers and plant hunters in the uk and abroad. And it’s not surprising to hear her talk of being given rare and treasured plants and rooted cuttings of special varieties. Who could resist her. Mona’s enthusiasm is heartwarming and palpable.
Many of the photographs in Mona’s book come from her own remarkable garden. It’s amazing to see that the plants can be cloud pruned, topiarised, grown as parasols, or used as hedges and screens. I particularly like the idea of growing them as a multi-stem shrub, with spring bulbs and perennials as ground cover.
The well-illustrated book features sections on the history of corokias, uses and cultivation, the story of Mona’s garden, a study of her national collection and an in-depth description of the genus.
Mona’s determined quest to collect as many varieties as she could started in 2001 when she fell in love with Corokia x virgata Red Wonder growing in a friend’s garden by the sea in Suffolk. She says: “My passion for the genus has grown steadily since then, along with my collection, and this book is the latest manifestation of my evangelism for the genus.
“The aquisition of all forty currently available species and cultivars has certainly taken me on a fascinating and winding journey. ”
I highly recommend you join Mona on her journey via her stunning new book. It’s certainly an amazing adventure, and she is a lively and knowledgeable guide.
Books available from monasgarden.co.uk, and Amazon.
Please leave a comment below and names will be randomly selected for one free copy. So sorry, it’s uk only, due to postage costs.
Notes : Mona has written articles on corokias for the RHS magazines The Garden and The Plantsman, helping to spread the word about this attractive plant.
Monasgarden.co.uk : https://monasgarden.co.uk/?utm_source=monasgardencouk&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=urlredirect
Bramble Garden 
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Always a treat to read your blog Karen x
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Thank you Annie. Hope you are coping with the lockdown. I’m really missing my Mum and brothers. Putting your name in the prize draw. Good luck
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Karen the book about the Corokias seems super interesting and has some spectacular photos: I love it. It is one of those books that catch you and leave you nothing else to think about even if you are not reading it at the time. It is magnificent. Karen would swear that there are several Corokias Sunsplash planted in a park near my house that they made 2 or 3 years ago, because whenever I have been there I have been admiring the plants and have never seen them. I really think they are Corokias. It is a small park but with very nice plants and very well designed. I am going to Amazón to see the book and also in your link. Karen thank you for this beautiful blog and that makes you forget the bad times we are living. We will get ahead and more with your attitude. I sincerely hope that all of your family, Mr B and you are safe from the Covid-19 and have great health and encouragement and hope. Positive thoughts and a lot of love for everyone. Take care. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita xxx
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Thank you Margarita. Your kindness is much appreciated. Very affectionate greetings. Love karen xxxx
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Thanks to you Karen. I am not kind, I tell the truth. Much love to all. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita xxxx
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Thank you margarita. My daughter says there are 8,000 ventilators coming. At first, I think thank god. Then I think – 8,000 people on ventilators. Truly frightening. And unfortunately, I know what it’s like to be on one. Sending much love and affectionate greetings. I’m cooking today to keep me occupied. Xxx
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You are very lucky that 8,000 fans come. They are sorely needed here. Don’t worry and don’t remember that you were hooked on one. Better cuisine, you do it very well, and enjoy. Lots of love. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita xxx
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Thank you Margarita. Keep positive and strong 💪 xx
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You too Karen. Loving greetings from Margarita xxx
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Thank you xxx
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I was beguiled by a corokia at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells, and bought one…but it died. I was heart broken. What did I do wrong? Please put me in the draw…who knows winning the book could put me right on track to exploring another group of plants, and a new reason to look forward to all those rare plant fairs.
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Thank you Noelle. I will x
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I miss my garden! One day I’ll have another and become a green fingered fanatic! Xxx
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Thank you. Meanwhile you can share mine (vicariously) Best wishes – karen x
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Thank you Karen, that put a smile on my face. Hope you’re keeping well x
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Thank you. All well here thank you. Hope you are too. Thanks for your kind words x
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I’m keeping well thank you Karen 🙂 x
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Good xx
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They do look lovely but you do not say whether they provide nectar for pollinators or whether the birds eat the berries in winter. I expect my plants to do more than look beautiful 🙂 Amelia
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A genus that is not in my garden. Not sure whether they would do very well “up North” noting that Mona is in London and a mention of grit! I presume a purchase of the book would enable me to find out!
Pat
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Thank you Pat. It’s a beautiful, inspiring book. I’m afraid you won’t be able to resist. 🙂good luck in the draw.
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LOOKS TO BE A FASCINATING READ. i NEED TP LOOK r your review again to see how hardy they are. They obviously need to be better known. Thanks Karen!
Spreading rotten and not so rotten horse muck on my front border…
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Thank you Suella. Down to -8. Good luck with your muck spreading. Karen
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I love corokias, but they seem quite hard to find. So versatile and of course beautiful. Looks like a beautiful book, a wonderful diversion! xxx
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Thank you Gill. That’s what I thought. Something else to focus on just at the moment. Just what we need. Xx
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