Three garden plants for April
The loveliest new flowers start to appear in April. Many have peaceful, pastel colours while others have flamboyant impact like lipstick-red tulips. I've noticed the purples this April in the gardens I manage in Yorkshire. Yes- February this year was very wet but I think while we despaired, the perennials were happy quenching their thirst.
Pulsatilla vulgaris
The Pasque flower is a true delight associated with Easter and the start of British Summertime. Whenever the clocks go forward I know it isn't going to be too long before this attractive perennial comes into bud.
At first we notice the leaves unfurling; they have a tactile, downy surface. When April showers have done their thing the raindrops tend to 'stick' to the leaves and glimmer in the sun. The plants themselves are tidily mound-forming and they keep to their designated patch in the flower bed without encroaching into other parts.
They suit alpine gardens, enjoying lots of sun and lots of rainfall in one go. If they're looking dry and parched I recommend a good helping of water to revive them.
Vinca major
The periwinkle, Vinca major, has the winning attributes of hardiness, shade-tolerance, evergreen-status and an abundance of attractive, windmill-like flowers in the early spring.
Greater periwinkle is an excellent contender in a woodland-garden setting. It doesn't demand too much attention and spreads happily to fill spaces in parts of your garden that other plants may not thrive in.
I always consider them in my planting schemes in north-facing flower beds and beds situated under garden trees, to accompany bulb flowers like daffodils and wood anemones.
One or two varieties even have variegated (meaning two-toned) white and green leaves to add to their list of favourable features.
Fritillaria meleagris
Snake's-head fritillary, Fritillaria meleagris, is an elegant and almost romantic spring flower that enjoys damp conditions in dappled sunlight. The nodding heads of this perennial hardy in the UK add to its charm.
The petals of this coveted flower have a rarely-seen chess-board effect making it both fun and a perfect focal point to a garden (or indeed a beck-side, as seen in the wild). When you plant them in big numbers they are dramatic and emulate the banks or British rivers like the Cam or Thames.
Yes, snake-head fritillaries are impressive in big numbers but even if you have a small outdoor space they look individually charming flowering in terracotta pots.
