Weave a tapestry at the woodland edge
Some of our earliest flowers start at ground level and it’s always a competition between snowdrops, cyclamen and winter aconites to see which will flower first. Although we think of them as woodlanders, they need a very warm, bright position to flower early, so it’s best to describe them as woodland-edge plants. Drainage is important for all bulbous plants so give them a site that doesn’t get waterlogged. Add a layer of grit underneath bulbous plants on heavier soil.
Snowdrops vary greatly, but most early-flowering galanthus are named hybrids with added vigour. These early hybrids tend to prefer a more open position and make ideal candidates planted round trees. Galanthus elwesii ‘Mrs Macnamara’ flowers in January and soon produces a clump of tall, single flowers. Doubles have the advantage of looking as though they’re out, even on a dull day, because they have frilly inner petals. ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’ is one of the finest doubles, with a ring of delicate outer marks.
She rarely needs dividing because a large clump produces lots of flowers and she will flower in shade as well as in brighter positions. There’s also a wonderful, rich-blue winter-flowering form of Iris histrioides named after bulb enthusiast Lady Beatrix, and this is equally undemanding. Cyclamen coum spreads from seeds, held in a purse-like structure. Each seed has a sticky coating that attracts ants. They roll them around the garden, so C. coum can pop up anywhere.
The corm is walnutsized and the rounded foliage can be silvered, patterned, marbled or plain. The almost-square flowers usually have a magenta nose. The best way to establish a colony is to invest in some potfuls bought in flower. Give them a sunny edge and a warm position with good drainage. If you find a seedling in the wrong place, or a cluster of seedlings, lift carefully and pot up. Autumn-f lowering Cyclamen hederifolium produces huge tubers as big as a dinner plate. However, the two don’t make good bedfellows because C. hederifolium soon smothers the smaller C. coum.
They need a very warm, bright position to flower early
Hardest to grow is winter aconite Eranthis hyemalis because it requires a sunny spot in winter, but hates being baked in summer. The most successful position is under mature trees because the roots drain the soil and, once the leaves form a canopy, the raisin-like tubers stay cool. To establish a colony, plant ‘in the green’ from March. It spreads by setting seeds so the flowers must be pollinated, which can be problematic in cooler conditions: the temperature has to reach 10C (50F) before the yellow globes open to allow bees access. Once pollinated, the flowers produce star-shaped pods containing oval seeds. These turn light brown when ripe, which is the time to sprinkle them about. Once they’ve turned black they won’t germinate. Those with warmer gardens and a chalky soil should do well; try ‘Orange Glow’, a robust, spreading orange-flowered form. Ice-blue Scilla mischtschenkoana is an easy miniature bulb that flowers with the snowdrops. It pops through the soil and, as the weather warms up, a short flower spike emerges. Although not widely grown, it’s one of the best winter-blooming bulbs. Add later flowering, deep-blue Scilla siberica to bridge winter and spring. Both grow in deep shade.
Eranthis hyemalis requires a sunny spot but hates being baked in summer