Some of the prettiest, most dainty flowering plants belong in the woodland category – think of native bluebells for instance – spectacular as carpets stretching underneath trees, but individually exquisite when viewed close up. Our native bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, needs lots of space to thrive and doesn’t particularly work well with other plants – so is perhaps best kept for larger gardens. The cultivated or Spanish bluebell, Hyacinthoides hispanica, should be used with caution – a sturdier, less elegant bluebell, it’s invasive and inclined to hybridise with the more delicate natives so I would avoid it.
There are lots of beautiful flowers that will be very happy in a shady area – such as under the canopy of a deciduous tree, so even in a smaller garden you can still create a mini-woodland with lots of interest early in the year. Here are some of my favourites:
Dicentra spectabilis – renamed recently by the RHS as Lamprocapnos, you’ll probably still find it in garden centres under its old name. Pink and white flowers dangle like lockets from arching stems and the foliage is lovely. Good for cutting.
Primula vulgaris: Our native primrose, with dark green crinkled leaves and palest yellow flowers, particularly lovely planted en masse with ferns and other shade loving plants.
Tellima grandiflora: Very happy in a shady spot, this compact mound forming perennial produces tall racemes of cream bell like flowers in early spring,
Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ – known for their spotted foliage and thought to help with lung complaints in the old days, pulmonaria have bright blue or violet flowers in spring and thrive in shade.
Polystichum ‘Herrenhausen’ – a lovely semi-evergreen fern to really bring the woodland feel into the garden. New fronds unfurl in spring to provide fresh green foliage and a lovely foil for spring flowering plants.
Anne’s Tip of the Week
Now is the time to give perennials a good mulch of well- rotted farmyard manure or home made compost, to help feed the soil and encourage healthy plants. In a few week’s time you could risk damaging new shoots so be quick!
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