Plant ant of the week: Bergenia

Evergreens with irrepressible foliage and cheerful blossoms

The common names for bergenia – elephant’s ears or pigsqueak – sum up the leafy characteristics of this bold band of valuable evergreen to semi-evergreen perennials.

Although effective ground cover plants throughout the year, it’s in winter and spring they’ve real value, with the foliage of some varieties glowing shades of red and bronze. All spring to life from late March and April with clusters of purple-red, pink or white saxifrage flowers atop stout stems which last for weeks.

Bergenias are for the most part totally hardy and can endure prolonged wet weather more readily than other evergreen perennials thanks to originating from the wet and windy climates of Afghanistan, via the Himalayas through to China, growing in rock crevices and over screes and meadows in upland areas. They’ve evolved thick, leathery, glossy leaves, which makes them durable in the garden, whether growing in sun or shade, but better quality foliage and flowers are produced more readily in brighter light.

They’re generally unfussy as to soil, but grow best in ones that are moist and rich in humus, rather than those droughted in full sun, although many will endure dry shade. They’re also useful for heavy clay soil. Bergenias spread slowly or modestly by creeping stems, which should be positioned on the surface, not buried, when planting. Lift older clumps when they’ve deteriorated in the centre, replanting rooted younger growths. Once flowers are over they can be trimmed and old leaves removed. A slow-release

fertiliser worked in around the roots will invigorate new growth.