Make room for wallflowers

They’re long-standing, easy to grow and full of colour and scent

For a brilliant burst of colour and life early next spring, choose reliable erysimum, or wallflowers, which have been stalwarts of our gardens for centuries.

They’re tough and easy bedding for the low maintenance gardener, and most have a fabulous scent to boot.

All roads lead to autumn when it comes to planting wallflowers. Sown as biennials earlier in the year, they establish themselves as strong, young plants over summer, which can be put into the ground now. But the traditional way to grow them is from cheap bare-roots, ready to plant in autumn and available from garden centres and online nurseries, sold wrapped in paper as unprepossessing clusters of roots with tufts of green foliage.

Despite their looks, bare-roots can be the best way to grow plants, sold with their root systems already robust, ready to get in the soil and romp away! Here’s our guide on planting and caring for these old favourites, plus some zingy choices to try.

Team wallflowers with other spring favourites now, such as grape hyacinths and euphorbia, or they’re just as effective in pots on their own