Rights of spring
Spring is almost in sight so let’s look ahead at what’s in store, writes David Overend.
Spring may still be weeks away but already there are plenty of buds appearing and, despite the cold weather and the lack of light, some early-bloomers are making their mark. Perhaps it’s time to look ahead to the border perennials that bring so much colour to beds and borders; make the most of them for they are worth their weight in gold.
Old favourites like Bergenia (elephant ears) have been maintaining a presence and throughout the darkest month their leathery leaves having turned almost purple. Soon the blooms – anything from pink to magenta – will appear.
These are plants that like sun, but they will settle for partial shade. Ideally, they are perfect for the front of a border. The leaves tend to get a bit tatty after a hard winter, so just pull them off in spring and stick them in the compost bin.
Pulmonaria (lungwort) doesn’t lag far behind. It begins to bloom as the days grow longer and there’s a hint of warmth in the air. It’s a simple plant to cultivate – very low maintenance – and a joy to behold, although it can become a bit tatty, so it pays to remove seedheads and old foliage.
Lungwort keeps its head low to the ground, producing plenty of long, spotty leaves topped with clusters of tiny trumpet-like flowers. They’re mainly blue or purple.
Plant lungworts in a shady spot, or beneath deciduous trees or hedges, and they will thrive. Give them a decent, waterretentive but not waterlogged soil, and they should flourish for years.
Hellebores (the Lenten rose) are instantly recognisable and much loved. They like a sheltered site and thrive in neutral-to-alkaline soils that are moist, fertile and humus-rich. Mulch annually to keep them happy.
And don’t forget the wonderful spurges (Euphorbia) which should be made compulsory additions to every garden, no matter how big or small.
They are so tough, so cheerful (true, some varieties are invasive – their tiny rosettes appear yards away from the parent plants; just pull them up and you’ll find yards of root) and even elegant. Their foliage holds rain drops which, should the winter sun shine, reflect the light like tiny diamonds.
They need little in the way of maintenance – any soil seems to suit them and they are at home in sun or shade.