9 of Thea and Dirk’s favourite plants for a spring garden
1 Euphorbia characias
subsp. wulfenii Few perennials have more of a presence in a garden all year round. Its greenish yellow flowers bring an extra layer of zing to spring planting schemes, but in all seasons it adds height and bulk to perennial plantings. 1.5m. RHS H4, USDA 8a-11†.
2 Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Valentine’ Formerly known as Dicentra spectabilis ‘Valentine’ this pretty bleeding heart with delicate red and white flowers stands out because of its dark grey-green leaves. 60cm. RHS H6, USDA 3a-8b.
3 Doronicum pardalianches Commonly known as crayfish leopard’s bane, this brightyellow, daisy-like flower is as close to floral sunshine as you are ever likely to find. It makes a good cut flower. 60cm. RHS H5, USDA 4a-8b.
4 Narcissus ‘Thalia’ One of the most graceful narcissi with nodding, pure-white flowers that work with everything. It does not spread quickly, but holds its ground. 40cm. RHS H6, USDA 5a-11. 5 Helleborus x hybridus ‘Blue Lady’ Thea and Dirk love the rich, plum and grey shades of this hellebore, which they find works particularly well when it is grown among tulips. 45cm. USDA 4a-9b. 6 Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ A useful ground-cover plant with superior foliage that looks almost as though it has been dusted in frost. Its blue forget-me-not-like flowers in spring are a bonus. 40cm. AGM*. RHS H6, USDA 3a-7b.
7 Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ Thea and Dirk use a lot of pulmonarias, including P. ‘Majesté’, P. longifolia ‘Bertram Anderson’ and P. ‘Diana Clare’, but they love the way the unspotted leaves of this cultivar enhance the blue of the flowers. 35cm. RHS H6, USDA 3a-8b.
8 Amelanchier lamarckii A small tree that in the Netherlands is often used as a shrub. It offers lovely autumn foliage but its blossom makes it one of the most attractive spring shrubs. Great underplanted with Scilla or Chionodoxa. Can be pruned after flowering and makes a pretty informal hedge. 10m. AGM. RHS H7, USDA 4a-8b. 9 Foeniculum vulgare ‘Giant Bronze’ Wonderful feathery foliage to accompany tulips, such as ‘Purissima’, ‘Vanilla Cream’ and ‘Queen of Night’. Needs to be controlled, because it can self-sow freely. 1.8m. USDA 4a-9b.