Wall to wall COLOUR
Tough, reliable and vibrant, these stunning f lowers will light up spring
WHEN I was young the only place you could buy wallflower plants was at the local greengrocers. Each autumn a bucket appeared by the counter, stuffed with bare-root specimens standing in water. Bundles of them were duly wrapped in newspaper by the shopkeeper, helping to keep roots damp on the journey home.
Today, wallflowers are much more readily available. Garden centres, DIY stores, supermarkets, florists and online suppliers are among retailers that stock these spring-flowering treasures. Bare root ones are still offered for sale in some places but you’ll find a greater range of varieties available as plug plants.
Available in shades of white, yellow, orange, red, pink and purple, the flowers of most appear from buds in April and form dense heads that will provide a show for about six weeks. Apart from looking good, many are renowned for their heavenly scent that’s ultrasweet, a bit like vanilla with some spicy hints.
Wallflowers, or erysimum, originate from North Africa, Asia and parts of Europe, where they can be found growing on cliffs and other rocky places. Technically shortlived perennials, most of those planted in autumn are treated as biennials, with plants hoicked out once flowers fade in late spring.
A few of them are much longerlived, forming fairly large evergreen bushes.
My favourite i s Er y s i mum ‘ Bowles’s Mauve’, which often flowers on and off from late winter until early autumn. Despite possessing impressive flower power, perennial wallflowers tend to be completely unscented or, at best, lightly fragrant.
Nobody really knows when wallflowers arrived in Britain, but they were a key feature of Elizabethan gardens and a popular ingredient of nosegays, a small bunch of scented flowers that were carried or attached to an outfit. Their purpose was to protect fashionable ladies from offensive smells in towns and cities. The common name wallflower comes from their ability to self-seed and prosper in fairly inhospitable sites.
For example, back in the 16th Century, botanist John Gerard wrote: ‘ The wallflower groweth upon bricke and stone walls, in the corners of churches, and also among rubbish and other such stony places.’
In the garden, wallflowers prefer a sunny spot and well-drained soil. Given their ability to establish in poor ground, there’s no need to improve the soil with compost or to add fertiliser after planting – they won’t be actively growing over winter and plants tend to be more reluctant to produce flowers if the ground is too rich.
Soak bare-root plants in a bucket of water before planting to ensure roots are fully hydrated.
Dig a hole that’s deep enough to accommodate roots, before popping in a plant. Backfill with soil and firm in place with your fingers, ensuring the lower leaves are just above the surface. Space individual plants 6in to 8in apart.
Avoid planting them in ground that was previously home to cabbages, cauliflowers and kale. All belong to a family of plants known as brassicas, which are vulnerable to a fungal disease known as club root. Unfortunately, this disease is incurable and spores can linger in the soil for 20 years.
Plug plants are best planted in small pots of multi-purpose compost and raised in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. They can be planted outside after the last frost in spring. Acclimatise plants over a period of a week, placing them outdoors during the day and moving them back undercover at night.
Perennial wallflowers look great set in beds and borders or mixed with other flowers in a traditional cottage garden. Bedding types are ideal for planting alongside paths or providing a temporary splash of colour at the front of displays that are in hibernation. Colour mixtures provide a punch when be planted en masse.
Of course, they look great with other plants. A classic combination is to interplant with tulips. Erysimum ‘Blood Red’ makes a striking contrast with green striped tulip ‘Formosa’, while Erysimum ‘Orange Bedder’ and tulip ‘Ballerina’, with its orange blooms, will provide a splash of tonal harmony. Where to buy: Hayloft (hayloft.co. uk), Mr Fothergills (mr-fothergills. co.uk), Unwins (unwins.co.uk).