Perennial favourites
THESE EARLY FLOWERING BEAUTIES CAN HELP YOU ADD A SPLASH OF COLOUR DURING SPRING
OUR classic image of a herbaceous border is one in full bloom at the height of summer, teeming with colour and interest.
However, there are many early perennials that flower from early to late spring, growing alongside spring bulbs, that are a very handy way of introducing flowers early in the year as well as some ground cover which will fill those brown bare gaps which otherwise will soon be colonised with weeds.
Brunneras are one of my favourites and in particular ‘Jack Frost’. Also known as Siberian bugloss, the silvery heart-shaped leaves have dark green veins and appear to glisten in the spring sunshine.
They are wonderful for brightening up shady spots and the sprays of tiny baby blue flowers are a delight – a little like forgetme-nots. Best grown in cool shade in moist but well-drained soil.
Also just starting to show some of its intense blue flowers is Omphalodes cappadocica and in my experience definitely one of the best spring flowering perennials.
It is low maintenance and does well in partial shade in moistureretentive soil. It spreads slowly and as it is dense it forms an impenetrable ground cover – I’ve never seen weeds pop up within it.
I love the pure blue flowers but there is also a pretty cultivar called ‘Starry Eyes’ where each blue flower has a white edge.
Another good ground cover is Bugle or Ajuga reptans. It has tough dark green leaves which don’t seem to tickle our local snail and slug population’s fancy and in spring the spikes of vivid blue flowers are very pleasing.
It works well in the shade and is a good spreader – use judiciously as it can get a bit invasive.
A gorgeous cottage garden plant, Dicentra, will bring delightful flowers to the late spring garden. Also known as bleeding heart, the flowers are perfectly heart shaped and drip from arching stems. The blossoms are usually pink but there are also red and white varieties.
It’s an easy maintenance plant so long as the ground is moisture retentive and it will flourish in sun or shade. It combines beautifully with fresh spring ferns and bluebells.
Pulmonarias are reliable early starters. They have distinctive spotted foliage – in olden times these were thought to resemble diseased lungs and as a result were used to cure chest infections.
Right now they are bursting into flower – these can be red, blue, white, purple or pink and sometimes a couple of differently coloured blooms on the same plant. It offers good ground cover in the shade and like the other plants mentioned here, anything that flowers early in the year provides valuable nectar for our native bees.
The trick to getting the most out of your space is to plan for as much interest as possible spread throughout the seasons.
Practically speaking this means getting a good selection of spring bulbs planted in autumn which will be the first to get going. Then, by including some of these spring flowering perennials, you will have enjoyed months of flowers before summer begins.
And if you plant some late-flowering perennials as well, you will have seasonal floral interest for much of the year.