Ruby Wedding Anniversary plants and flowers is a gardening inspiration blog for Ruby Celebrations. You may need help to choose a special plant for your parents, or perhaps you’d like ideas to create a themed garden border for a 40th celebration for a society? I’m here to help you with these appropriately named plants and flowers (plus a few cultivation tips).
The inspiration for this particular blog was my own 40th Wedding Anniversary (and my husband’s too, obviously!) We had planned to have lots of trips, including re-visiting our honeymoon spot, rather than having a huge celebration. But there was a point when we weren’t sure we’d actually make it to 40 years: my husband’s cancer had returned. Cue months of tests, treatments and hospital visits. The support from family and close friends was wonderful, and we couldn’t have coped without it. The understanding from many of my clients has been great too, as work commitments were often difficult to fit in.
We now feel we’re on the up again and I‘m contemplating replacing those newly planted 40th anniversary plants that died through lack of attention…
You can also read the blog I wrote for our 30th Wedding Anniversary at the end, along with other celebratory plant and flower inspiration blogs.
Ruby Wedding Anniversary Plants and Flowers
But firstly, a list. What I discovered is that whilst there are plenty of flowers, shrubs and ornamental grasses with ‘ruby’ in their name, there aren’t as many as you might think that have any of the following phrases ‘ruby anniversary’, ‘ruby celebration’, ‘ruby wedding anniversary’, ‘40th wedding anniversary’ or ‘40th celebration’.
Now this surprised me, as given the demographic, these are people who are likely to both have a garden and the money to spend on it. Hence my list is split into two: one for the aptly named plants and the other for all the ‘rubies’. This latter isn’t a complete list, rather I’ve chosen a selection to suit different types of garden situations in order to give you choices whatever your needs.
Plants with Ruby Wedding, Anniversary or Celebration in their Name
Only one each of herbaceous perennial and general shrubs, but six roses to choose from! List first, then a bit more detail on each
- Astrantia major ‘Ruby Wedding’
- Camellia × williamsii ‘Ruby Wedding’
- Harkness Rose ‘Ruby 40th Wedding Anniversary’
- Rosa ‘Ruby Wedding’
- Rosa ‘Happy Ruby Wedding’
- Rosa Ruby Anniversary
- Rosa ‘Ruby Celebration’
- Rosa ‘Ruby Wedding Celebration’
Astrantia major ‘Ruby Wedding’
Common name of Masterwort, this Astrantia has deep ruby-red flowers on maroon stems. A good garden and wildlife plant (and seems to have survived my neglect!)
Camellia × williamsii ‘Ruby Wedding’
The red flowers are doble, anemone to paeony type so very attractive in late winter / early spring. It needs an acid soil but would grow in a pot. The RHS give the synonym Camellia japonica ‘Ruby Wedding’.
Harkness Rose ‘Ruby 40th Wedding Anniversary’
The only plant I found with the whole caboodle in its name! Introduced in 1997, it’s a repeat flowering bush rose with a medium fragrance. At 3 ½ foot tall, Rosa ‘Ruby 40th Wedding Anniversary’ would be best in a border, but would be okay in a large pot.
Rosa ‘Ruby Wedding’
A hybrid tea rose with pale crimson flowers and a light, sweet fragrance. Best in a border.
Rosa ‘Ruby Anniversary’
‘Harbonny’ is a compact, fast growing patio rose with small, glossy, green leaves and clusters of double, very slightly scented, ruby-red flowers. Would grow in a container.
Rosa ‘Ruby Celebration’
A bush Floribunda with the synonym Rosa ‘Opulence’, it has very dark semi-double, frilly red blooms in large clusters. Compact growth so its suitable for a pot.
Rosa ‘Happy Ruby Wedding’
This rose’s other name is ‘Frynoble’. It has medium fragrance and is repeat flowering with clusters of ruby red blooms. A small hybrid tea it will be fine in borders or containers.
Rosa ‘Ruby Wedding Celebration’
This is a repeat flowering floribunda patio rose and has a delicate fragrance. Rich red blooms and deep green foliage combined with small size mean its good grown in a pot or en masse at the front of a border.
Plants with Ruby in their Name
Not a definitive list. For example, I found at least four other roses but thought you already had plenty more relevant ones to choose from so haven’t included them here. The lists are for herbaceous perennials and shrubs as it seemed a bit daft giving you a list of two to start with!
annual flowers
Stock ‘Ruby Punch’
Annual stocks, Matthiola incana are heavily scented and easy to grow from seed.
Wallflower ‘Ruby Gem’
Strictly speaking, wallflowers, Erysimum cheiri, are short-lived perennials but they’re usually grown as biennials or as annual bedding.
Hardy Herbaceous Perennials
- Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Ruby Port’
- Astrantia major ‘Ruby Cloud’ and Astrantia major ‘Ruby Giant’
- Coreopsis ‘Limerock Ruby’
- Gaura lindheimeri ‘Ruby Ruby’, syn Oenothera lindheimeri ‘Ruby Ruby’
- Helenium ‘Ruby Tuesday’
- Hellebore ‘Hello Ruby’, Helleborus orientalis
- Miscanthus Sinensis ‘Ruby Cute’(ornamental grass)
- Penstemon ‘Rich Ruby’
Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Ruby Port’
A deliciously dark flowered cultivar of this popular cottage garden plant.
Astrantia major ‘Ruby Cloud’
This cultivar and the larger Astrantia ‘Ruby Giant’ are both good doers in most garden settings, although avoid full sun all day in dry soil.
Coreopsis ‘Limerock Ruby’
With the common name of tickseed, and bred specifically for gardens , this Coreopsis produces daisy like flowers all summer long.
Oenothera lindheimeri ‘Ruby Ruby’
Still also known as Gaura lindheimeri ‘Ruby Ruby’, it’s a bit of a show stopper with bright pink flowers in contrast with dark pink-bronze stems and foliage.
Helenium ‘Ruby Tuesday’
Deep red flowers with a golden/mahogany centre. Good for bees and butterflies. Rabbit resistant.
Helleborus ‘Hello Ruby’
This oriental Hellebore has ruby red, nectar-rich flowers are an essential source of nectar for bumblebees emerging in early spring.
Miscanthus Sinensis ‘Ruby Cute’
A compact, clump-forming ornamental grass. Most decorative in late summer when red-tinted flowerheads are produced and the leaves turn pink before turning deep red in autumn.
Penstemon ‘Rich Ruby’
The trumpet-shaped, ruby-red blooms with burgundy throats, attract many pollinating insect to your garden. And look stunning for a long period too!
Shrubs with Ruby in their Name
The following shrubs range from large to small, some prefer acid soil, and , if you were to choose plants carfeully, your season of inter
- Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’
- Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’
- Cytisus boskoopii ‘Boskoop Ruby’
- Erica carnea ‘Myretoun Ruby’
- Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’
- Hamamelis Ruby Glow
- Hydrangea ‘Ruby Aubergine’
- Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’
- Leucothoe ‘Royal Ruby’
- Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’
- Magnolia ‘Stellar Ruby’
- Prunus nipponica ‘Ruby’
- Weigela ‘Bristol Ruby’
Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’
A dwarf Cercis with a compact weeping habit and heart-shaped maroon-red leaves turning burgundy in the summer. Also known as American Judas tree.
Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’
Common name: Sweet pepper bush. It has blue green foliage and rich pink flowers, good for wildlife, likes a moist soil
Cytisus boskoopii ‘Boskoop Ruby’
Compact deciduous shrub with masses of dark red flowers in late spring – early summer. Drought resistant.
Erica carnea ‘Myretoun Ruby’
Alpine heath, flowering in winter and good for bees who don’t hibernate. Needs an acid soil
Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’
Spectacular rich burgundy autumn foliage follow delicate creamy-yellow blooms in early summer. Pale pink and orange fruit. Good as a focal point in the border. Tolerant of most conditions.
Hamamelis Ruby Glow
Rich red flowers on bare branches in winter and scented too. Synonym Hamamelis ‘Diane’.
Hydrangea ‘Ruby Aubergine’
Large deep red-purple flowers are to be found in this mophead Hydrangea. A favourite of florists, if you have your own plant, you can pick stems for drying before the flowers go over and the purple colour will fade slowly.
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’
Oak leaved evergreen Hydrangea with good red and purple autumn leaves. The flowers begin white and turn redder as they age.
Leucothoe ‘Royal Ruby’
A low growing, evergreen shrub with low spreading branches making it a candidate for ground cover. Prefers acidic soils.
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’
Wine-red goblet-shaped flowers and upright habit
Magnolia ‘Stellar Ruby’
I havent smelt this Magnolia but I would love to – described as resembling the smell of bananas, pear drops, and even port wine. Needs to be sheltered from cold winds.
Prunus nipponica ‘Ruby’
Vivid pink blossoms in spring and the foliage, starts golden, changes to a rich green, then red in autumn.
Weigela ‘Bristol Ruby’
Long flowering period and a good wildlife plant Rabbit resistant.
and finally
Originally, I had thought of sharing 40 plants – seemed appropriate! But as we’ve had 32 (!) I think that’s probably okay…Especially as I feel that any further ones really ought to be named ruby wedding anniversary plants.
Whether you’re looking for Ruby wedding anniversary plants or for a different 40th anniversary – or even for a 40th birthday! – hopefully you’ve found some ideas for the celebratory gardener to enjoy.
And if Plews can help you with anything, perhaps a themed planting design for a celebratory border, please do get in touch. For example –
Our Garden Consultancy & Advice Visits may help with some of your issues. Or does your planting need a rethink? Do you have a birthday coming up? Plews bespoke Gardening Lessons, where your classroom is actually your own garden make a wonderful and practical gift. You could learn how to grow an orchard of citrus fruits in your conservatory! We help you with both gardening basics and more ‘expert tasks’, depending on what you need. Have a read through this pdf download for info.
For further gardening advice and inspiration, check out Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below. You could come and find us on Instagram Pinterest and Facebook too.
Feeling nosey? You can have a peek at the progress of my garden renovation, Spitfires and Slow Worms, on Instagram and Facebook
You’ll get to see it in person if you come to the Plews Gardening Workshops Current ones on Eventbrite for you to book into. Follow for updates on topics and dates on Plews website, Instagram, Eventbrite, Facebook
Plus get your local garden club, allotment, WI, U3A or other group to ask me along to give a talk (and bring plants 😉)
Related Gardening articles you may enjoy from our Award Winning Blog
Flowers and Plants for Weddings
Wedding Anniversary Roses for Your Garden
50 Golden Celebration Plants for Your Garden
Pearl Anniversary Flowers – 30th Wedding Anniversary
10 June Wedding Flowers from Your Garden
and a couple of romantic gardening blogs
Elements of a Romantic Garden for Valentine’s Day
Midsummer Nights Dream Garden Design Inspiration
