Cultivation

• Although in the wild Anemone nemorosa grows in even the densest woodland shade, it flowers more profusely in clearings where light reaches the woodland floor or in places where the trees have been recently coppiced. Similarly in the garden, anemones will flower in the shade cast by buildings or fences but flower most abundantly when growing around deciduous shrubs or among later-flowering perennials. • As important as shade is moisture and humus. None of the woodland anemones thrive in either dry soils or very rich soils, which tend to produce plants with lots of foliage and not many flowers. The ideal open and friable soil can be achieved by adding lots of leaf mould or composted bark to the soil when you plant your anemones. Thereafter, when the plants are dormant, mulch the area every few years with a thick layer of leaf mould. In some years the plants are affected by powdery mildew or leaf spot. This can blemish the foliage but neither are fatal so not worth getting agitated about. • Nurseries sell Anemone nemorosa either as growing plants in small pots or as bare corms, which look like pieces of thin twig. I find that the plants that are pot grown establish more quickly and more reliably than the bare corms. Anemone blanda corms are much tougher and can be reliably bought as dried corms. Remember that anemones go dormant soon after they have finished flowering, so to avoid putting a fork or trowel through them when weeding it is a good idea to mark where they are. • After a few years the plants make a mat of thin rhizomes, which should be divided every few years if you want to create a carpet of the plants. Regular division will also ensure that your plants flower well and that you will have a few to pass on to friends. Simply dig the plant up when it is dormant, carefully tease the rhizomes apart and then replant the pieces.