On her visit Rosy gave lots of great tips and tricks for growing successful Spring Flowers. Here are some of them:
- Hellebores…Woodland setting, all soil types, except heavy clay. Flower well into April, cut out flower stem when finished. Next years growth and buds will already be showing. Best in semi shade. Look for seedlings to bring on, but have to leave flower shoot to seed first.
- Hellebore “Walburton Rosemary” a niger/hybrida cross which has a very long flowering season. Dec. to Mar. Sterile, so will not seed. Cut flowers off when finished. Sun, shade or woodland. Don’t split for 3/4 years.
- Lots of spring flowerers like dappled shade and cool summers under tree canopy.
- Trachyospermum… grows where lots of others don’t do well. Poor soil, shade (damp or dry).
- As a general rule divide Spring flowerers in Autumn, and Autumn flowerers in Spring.
- Bergenias all need dry shade.
- Bergenia Ciliata Flowers start white and turn pink after bees pollinate the plant.
- Bergenia Macyasella “Green Dream”. Dry shade, very hardy, woodland, flowers Apr/May.
- Bergenia cordifolias…lift and divide every 2/3 years to maintain flower power and shape.
- Pulmonarias…dry shade, leaves tend to turn brown in sun. Slug and snail resistant!!
- Pulmonaria “Blue Ensign”. Gentian blue flowers, but leaves have no marking.
- Pulmonaria “Diana Clare”. Pink/violet flowers, silver foliage. Bigger clumps, divide in Autumn.
- Spring Violets… named varieties have longer stems, for nosegays.
- Brunnera “Jack Frost”. Silver foliage and blue flowers.
- Brunnera “Looking Glass”. Easy to grow, forget-me-not flowers.
- Brunnera “Alexander’s Great”. Bigger. Not heavy clay, and dry is OK.
- Primula “Guinevere”…purple foliage, turning to bronze. Pink flowers. Primulas can be multi-headed or singles. Like dampish soil and cool in summer.
- Primula Elatior… Oxslip, likes woodland setting. Can be grown from seed but plant really fresh seed only. Cowslips prefer moist pasture. Scented.
- Doronicum…big, bright yellow daisies, up to 3 ft. tall. Harper Crewe flowers to mid May.
- Ipheon …can be white, blue, purple or pink. Blue/grey foliage. Plant in sun and dry conditions. Under eaves is ideal. Divide in the green.
Rosy’s Nursery is in the village of Freefolk, Whitchurch. Hants. RG28 7FA