10 Pulmonaria

Number 10 in the 'Flowering in my garden' series is the little workhorse Pulmonaria or lungwort.

Very attractive to bees as you can see, and with flowers that open pink and then turn blue in jolly clusters, bobbing above beautiful variegated leaves there is nothing not to like. Added to that they are happy in the less salubrious areas of your garden, flourishing in semi or even full shade. So long as they don't dry out they are fine.

     

As well as the flowers, which appear  from late winter, Pulmonaria has glorious clusters of the furriest buds, nestling in rosettes of pretty speckled leaves. This furriness betrays the fact that it is from the same family as Borage which also has downy leaves and buds. The leaves are at their best throughout the summer when the striking markings show best. Old leaves are best removed after flowering, but with a bit of trimming the Pulmonaria in my garden looks good all year round.

The variants available are endless, and if you have different variants in your garden you are likely to get crosses, they are quite promiscuous! Flowers come in all shades of pink, blue, and purple and there is a white variant which is a little more refined. Leaf markings and shapes are equally varied from broad and speckled, streaked, edged, right through to narrow and silver, something for everyone!

And when the clumps become too congested or too large then you can divide them either in the autumn, which is what I do, or apparently after flowering in the late spring. My original two small plants came from my Mum (like so many of my plants!) and in four years that has increased to six. This year I think I might try a white one, perhaps Sissinghurst white or possibly a a pale blue Opal, or perhaps I shall just browse for something lovely - I do like a browse!