MONTY’S PLANT OF THE WEEK

The butterfly-like flowers appear before the foliage, rising on delicate, spindly stems but they’re much tougher than they seem, surviving almost any weather conditions. They are the ideal flower for very dry shade, growing from puck-shaped corms that should be planted a few centimetres below the soil and do best in groups. These corms have a tendency to rise to the surface but if replanted at a deeper level every few years, they last for decades and grow very large. Keep it well apart from as it will always swamp its more delicate cousin.

C. coum