Early-flowering Perennials For The Border

Press, Volume C, Issue 29643, 13 October 1961, Page 8

Early-flowering Perennials For The Border

Most gardeners think that summer and autumn are the best tunes for perennial plants, and this is certainly true. But there are many which help to DU the border* in spring, just th* same, and we shouldn’t forget them. One which is frequently seen in gardens is the Dutch- ■ man’s Breeches, or Bleeding Heart as it is alternatively • known. Strietly. this plant is ' known as Dicentra spectabilis, and it’s an excellent and easy-going plant for a nat-too-sunny spot. It bursts into growth suddenly, the fleshy roots shooting forth greyish-green leaves and arching sprays or rosy-pink flowers. Their characteristic shape gives rise to the common name of Bleeding Heart. If the flower is inverted and | the pink outer petals pulled apart, however, the centre column stands erect. The attached filaments and general crimping then illustrates a more uncommon name—- " Lady in a bath.” Growth will eventually exceed two feet in height, and dies down quickly in early summer. Doronicum is a yellow daisy-flowered plant which Is also quite reliable and easy to obtain. Blooms are any. thing up to four inches across, and the stem* two feet in height. It is quite at home in full sun and in relatively well-drained soils, and makes a good long-lasting cut ftower, despite the fact that it closes up at night. Iris innominata is a plant which New Zealand has made her own, although it originated in the North American state of Oregon. For it has been crossed and bred in New Zealand until the range of colours which is available is nothing short of amazingcream, yellow, orange, purple, blue-grey, all in wide open short-stemmed flowers which ar* ideal for the front of a sunny |porder. Plants may be readily raised from seed and usually flower in their second season, while plants may also be split and transplanted immediately after flowering at this present season. There is only one word of caution

with this delightful little plant—no animal manure—it doesn’t like it. The three other plants I wanted to mention are less easy to obtain and are all rather more choosy in their requirements. The sort of border they need is one with refined neighbours who do not push and shove, but remain as precise and sedate as a dowager duchesse at a tea party. Actually, all three would do quite well amongst deciduous shrubs, for they grow early and die down relatively early too, so that their span of life is complete before work is needed amongst ,the shrubs. Trilli urns are not too uncommon in gardens, although they are unfortunately uncommon in nurseries, for the demand far exceeds the supply. They produce delightful

flowers of white, pale pink or deep wine-red from the centre of three-leaf clusters, all mounted on a single stalk. Shady, moist conditions are necessary for success, and a soil with a fair content of leaf mould—so shrub borders would suit them In more ways than one. The delightful common name is “Wake. Robin,” but other species are also called “Wood lily.’/ The most readily available species is Trillium sessile, growing to a foot in height. Dodecatheon is called the American cowslip, or “Shooting stars’’—an allusion to the way in which flowers are pointed upwards in the bud, but hang downwards when open, apparently floating back to earth! This too, likes a semi-shaded position, and would thrive in the same spot as trilliums as long as it Was not too moist. Flowers are rosy-purple with reflexed petals and forward-pointing yellow stamens.' The last of this -gentle trilogy is Sanguinaria, or Blood Root, with similar cultural requirements to Dodeeatheon. The bluish-green leaves emerge first, in spring, followed by pure white flowers like miniature waterlilies. Once seen, never forgotten!