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The plant I've decided to add in March is Pulmonaria Angustifolia Blaues Meer, or Blue Cowslip. This plant is supposed to be good as a ground cover, and can be grown in moist shade. It flowers from March till May, and is attractive to bees and butterflies, which is good news, as I try to plant with wildlife in mind. It's a hardy perennial so it'll be able to survive the harsh winters which we seem to be getting these days.
As you can see, it's already in bloom. It has bright blue funnel shaped flowers which are held on upright stems. I'm looking forward to it settling in and increasing in size as I'm sure the flowers will look stunning en masse.
Hoping that Blogger will let me comment today. An excellent choice Jo which will give you and the bees much pleasure :)
ReplyDeleteI've never had Pulmonaria in the garden before, so I'm hoping that it does well. I'm looking forward to enjoying the flowers.
DeleteMy white pulmonaria is just starting to flower. So have you found a Swillington replacemnet?
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look out for the white variety. No replacement for Swillington yet, I don't think one exists nearby.
DeleteI think you'll be very happy with this choice, Jo. Such a beautiful colour! I have a bog-standard yellow cowslip which bursts into flower in February and provides a splash of colour (and early nectar for the bees) right through to early summer. It was a supermarket bargain in tiny pot a couple of years ago and now covers over 18 inches of bare earth. Wish I'd bought more!!
ReplyDeleteI love the colour, and I think the bees will too. I love the yellow cowslips, such simple flowers but stunning at the same time. Some great bargains can be picked up in the supermarket these days.
DeleteMy pulmonarias have always ended up with mildew.I do love them but have now taken them out. Hope you have better luck Jo!
ReplyDeleteI'd read that they can suffer from mildew, especially in dry weather, so they should have been fine for the last couple of years. I'll keep an eye on this and hope it doesn't succumb.
DeleteI have this (or very similar with a startling blue flower)..you will love it. Mine actually manages in dry shade after June, getting sun only about three onwards, but has done quite well and has spread nicely. It is one of the first perennials to flower in my spring garden. It is near the house foundation which I think helps it also.
ReplyDeleteGood idea about going to a nursery every month.
I can't take the credit for the idea of plant shopping each month, it's all down to Geoff Hamilton, but such a great idea. I'd read that it will spread nicely without becoming a thug, so it sounds like that's your experience with it. The flowers are such a gorgeous colour.
DeleteYes, the blue is what I call 'hurt your eyes blue' and in spring, as I drive up to the house, it just jumps out at you! And it isn't a thug. GB
DeleteIt does look a vivid blue. I'm looking forward to it spreading a bit so that the full extent of the colour comes through.
DeleteI have grown Pulmanaria angustifolia for years . It is one of my favourites at this time of the year- well as I look outside here in York at the snow I must add its not quite ready yet. I find pulmanarias only get the mildew late on when it gets dry. My angustifolia never causes any probs
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know, it's nice to have such a great doer which is an early bloomer. We've had a few snow flakes falling here, but we're getting more rain than anything else at the moment. No gardening for me today.
DeleteI do love this idea. You've solved a long standing puzzle for me here as I've had this plant growing in the front garden for over 20 years and have never known the name of it.xxxxx
ReplyDeleteI think it's a great idea, I'll certainly have a much fuller garden by the end of the year, and much more winter colour than I've ever had before. Glad I've solved your puzzle, I'm not sure I'd have known it's correct name either.
DeleteI inherited a garden that is extremely boggy in places and pulmonaria do very well. They have spread and, you are right, they look wonderful en masse. Good luck with it!
ReplyDeleteMy garden isn't particularly boggy, but I'm still hoping they do well. Only time will tell.
DeleteVery interesting looking plant!
ReplyDeleteHope it grows well for you.
Lea
Lea's Menagerie
I think the flowers are a gorgeous colour, I'm really hoping that it does well in my garden.
DeleteI love pulmonaria such a gorgeous blue, mine from last year seems to have disappeared over winter - darn it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame yours has disappeared. I really like the colour of the flowers, as you say, such a gorgeous blue.
DeleteHardy perennials that flower at this time of the year are the way forward I think! Something that can largely look after itself is always nice to have in my garden! I love the colour : )
ReplyDeleteI agree, it's nice to have plants which do their thing with little help, and especially ones which flower at this time of year. The colour's fab, isn't it?
DeletePulmonaria is one of my star plants at this time of the year. Bees love it, so it's especially useful when they come out on hive cleaning duties on warmer days.
ReplyDeleteMine flowers much earlier than March too and it's really easy to rehome bits elsewhere :)
I'm hoping that mine will spread so that it gives a bit of ground cover. I'm so pleased to have got something which the bees love as I like to help them all I can.
DeleteSo pretty, the colour is one of my favourites xxx
ReplyDeleteIt's such a vivid blue, no wonder the bees find it attractive.
DeleteI love blue flowers and that one is a particularly deep blue, really nice.
ReplyDeleteA good idea for getting some colour in your garden all year round.
It's a lovely blue, I'm sure it'll stand out in the garden. I'm hoping that there'll be something of interest in the garden al year round when I've finished.
DeleteI like the blue of this plant. We had it in one corner of our small garden and, as you say, it's good for ground cover as it spreads. We had to divide it up which means plants for free. Glimmers of sunshine first thing and my husband is busy potting on his tomato plants in the covered yard. He was hoping to get to the allotment. The sun has gone in and it's very cold so not a day for hanging around too long out of doors!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that I may get free plants from mine too, it would be nice to have some in the front garden as well as the back. I haven't even started my tomato seeds off yet, still too cold here.
DeleteAm repeating what everyone else is saying Jo but it really is a star plant
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that so many people rate it. I've never grown it before so I looked it up, and liked what I read, but it's always good to have second, third and fourth opinions.
DeleteWhat a grand idea. Visiting a nursery each month to buy a plant in flower. I must add it to my to do list.
ReplyDeleteGeoff Hamilton often came up with great ideas. I'm hoping that I'll get plenty of year round colour in my garden by doing this.
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