A HIT FOR THE SENSES

In late winter, it’s therapeutic to indulge in a hit of colour and scent when our senses are at their most deprived. The brilliant purple spikes of Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Woodstock’, with their powerful fragrance, matched with the intensity of the purplish-pink flowers of Viola ‘Kim’, provide both. I’ve used a combination of plants so when these flowers fade, the rest becomes a study in form and texture. The overall effect, placed on a table so you can appreciate the scent, really brightens up a partially shady corner.

How to achieve the look

This sweet violet is just one of many cultivars available today. Its delicate, little flowers with darker buds are held beautifully above the rounded, spring-green leaves. These contrast with the pewter, veined leaves of Helleborus lividus ‘White Marble’. The creamy, acid-green flowers that appear from late winter increase the vibrancy of the hyacinth and violet. The Japanese spurge, Pachysandra terminalis, with its smooth, glossy-green leaves, lends another texture and base colour to the planting and produces clusters of white flowers in late spring. I added some Dryopteris erythrosora var. prolifica, the lacy, clump-forming autumn fern, towards the back of the planting. Its delicate fronds emerge as the other flowers fade. I bought this old, French, galvanised tub from a junk shop and drilled holes into the base for drainage. A layer of crocks (pieces of broken pot) and gravel prevent these holes clogging up and a mix of John Innes No.2 compost with extra grit, improves drainage further. When the plants outgrow the container, they can be planted out into shady areas of the garden, the rhizomatous sweet violet and spurge making great evergreen groundcover. The ferns thrive in moisture-retentive soil, so incorporate plenty of leaf mould.