A Passion for Pulmonarias

Well, Spring has finally sprung, Gardeners’ World is back on the telly and frogs are frolicking. Everything in the garden is lovely!

Although I love the exuberance of late summer colour, spring is my favourite time of year. As half my garden is in shade most of the day, I’ve risen to the challenge of finding Plants for Shade over the years, to create a tapestry of colour and texture that blooms from early spring until the first frosts.

Here are three Must Have ground cover plants that I could not do without. First is brunnera, or the perennial forget-me-not, with heart shaped, silver veined leaves and dainty pale blue flowers that appear in late February. Jack Frost is the old favourite, although there are several new and exciting varieties, like silver leaved Looking Glass and huge, robust Alexander’s Great, readily available.

Following on in March is pulmonaria. Known as lungwort in medieval times, it was used to alleviate ailments of the chest, because its mottled leaves were thought to resemble diseased lungs. Since time immemorial, man has looked to nature to provide medicinal cures: That a plant which resembles a particular condition or body part could in some way treat or alleviate the illness, originates from The Doctrine of Signatures. Renaissance scholars thought God, in his infinite wisdom, had endowed plants with certain characteristics or signatures to guide man towards their medicinal properties. At this juncture may I say, Please Don’t Try This at Home!  

The first pulmonaria I planted was Diana Clare, so-called after the breeder’s wife, its strappy, silvery green foliage topped with dense sprays of lilac, blue and pink flowers. Soon to follow was Sissinghurst White, no guesses as to its origins; Cotton Cool, bought at Roy Strong’s garden, The Laskett, in Herefordshire, and Shrimps on the Barbie from Clockhouse Nursery. So many more, so little space!

Late spring heralds astrantia, or aptly named Hattie’s Pincushion, after its neat, pincushion flowers. In shimmering whites and pinks to deepest burgundy, who could resist such romantic names as Roma and Florence? Or Shaggy, with its feathery green bracts? Astrantias are a good alternative to hardy geraniums and are slug resistant.

These long lasting, hardy perennials are as tough as old boots, thrive in shade where others flounder, and bees and other pollinating insects love them. What’s not to like?

Love, Caroline x