There are so many beautiful things bursting into bloom at the moment that I just couldn't limit myself to just one for the 'Flowering in my garden' series, so this post has my two favourites of the moment.
12 Fritillaria meleagris.
As regular readers will know I have been trying to establish these gorgeous plants for quite a while. I planted lots of bulbs when we first moved to Cornwall and only had one lonesome Fritillary (underneath the swing) to show for my efforts which disappeared a couple of years ago. Then last year I planted a large clump of Fritillaries in the green and waited with bated breath to see what happened.
The good news is my lovely new clump is back and thriving!
Not only that but lone Fritillary is back too!
Yes that's the swing in the background, but now that the teens are now, well - teens and less interested in swings, I haven't had to guard it closely and issue dire threats daily.
So why do I love these so much? It has to be the patterning on the lovely flowers. The pinkish-purple checked markings are so sumptuous and detailed, and contrast so beautifully with the simple blue green grassy leaves.
The name meleagris means ‘spotted like a guinea fowl' which also has such a lovely ring to it. The bell shaped pendant flowers are held on graceful swaying stalks and the buds start out green and then the pattern slowly appears.
Fritillaria meleagris like a dampish spot and lots of sun, they are a meadow plant originally, and in my experience best planted in the green. Now that I have my first success I intend to build on it. I feel lone Fritillary needs company, and that swing needs to mysteriously disappear!
Now going from a plant that can be quite tricky to establish to one that is easy as anything.
13 Forget-me-not
With their beautiful fresh faces, Forget-me-nots or Myosotis are the perfect foil for Primroses, Tulips and Daffodils, and flower from now until early summer.
They are a biennial (which means if you sow from seed they will flower the following year) and will grow pretty much everywhere and in every soil. I have them in dry, full sun and damp, partial shade and all are doing well.
The flowers can vary in colour, showing pinky first, then turning blue, and always with the cheery yellow eye.
Now I can hear my Mum being unimpressed by my enthusiasm, she was over run with Forget-me-nots in a past garden and spent time and effort trying to control them. They are very free seeding if they are happy but that is part of what I love about them. They spread with abandon, but won't choke other things out, they just create a beautiful backdrop to so many other spring plants. When and if they get straggly then chop them back - they will have seeded by then anyway and you may get another flush of flowers.
So come on Forget-me-nots and hurry up and spread, I can't get enough of you (famous last words!)
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