Garden News (UK)

Wallflower­s are no shrinking violets

- Words Ian Hodgson

Spring wouldn’t be the same without the partnershi­p of bulbs and wallflower­s. This highly successful relationsh­ip is the cornerston­e of displays from late winter, whether in parks or private gardens. Now’s the time to search out garden-ready plants from garden centres or online to readily establish in the warm, damper soil of autumn, making growth ready for action in spring.

Flowering from March into April and May, wallflower­s (Erysimum cheiri) come in a wide range of colours, including red, yellow, orange, bronze, purple lilac and pink tones. In fact, most colours except pure blue. Recent breeding in the Artist series, such as ‘Paintbox’, and others named after specific artists such as peachy pink ‘Monet’s Moment’, have multi-coloured blooms that often change colour as they age. Iconically, underplant­ed with tulips, all emit a delicious, sweet scent and make good cut flowers.

Wallflower­s are short-lived, shrubby perennials in the cabbage family, usually grown as biennials, replaced after flowering, but they will persist and flower intermitte­ntly afterwards if you leave them and remove spent flower stems.

Raised from seed they should be sown from late April to July but in late September into October are available as plants. Stock varies from larger potted specimens, through to plantlets in plugs and bare-root specimens. They grow in most moist, well-drained soils, best if neutral to chalky, and don’t need rich, heavily manured soil. This can stimulate sappy growth, which rots in winter and reduces their life span. They prefer sun, as do tulips and other spring bulbs, but will tolerate semi-shade so are ideal around shrubs. Wallflower­s can also be propagated from 10cm-long, semiripe cuttings of new, unflowered growth taken from May to July.

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