Anemonella Thalictroides ‘Rue Anemone’
Dark winter evenings give gardeners time to pore over nursery catalogues to seek out new plants. Anemonella thalictroides is attractive but as it needs an acid soil, it should be grown in a container. A close relative of anemones, this tiny charmer is a native of eastern North American woodland. In a garden setting, it is suitable for underplanting in a shady shrub border or rockery, but it must have moist, humus rich, acid soil – and a patient gardener as it is slow to develop. Its fragile, cup shaped white or pale pink flowers are carried in loose panicles on slender stems from spring to early summer. The delicate, ferny, dark green leaves shoot up from clusters of tubers.
Propagation: Sow seed in containers in a cold frame in spring. Divide young plants in early spring.
Roscoea Cautleyoides
This is an intriguing Asian plant, a member of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), with flowers that, at first glance, resemble small, floppy irises or orchids. They appear in June and are usually pale yellow but are occasionally pale lavender. The petals seem to have been spun from wild silk and the hooded, lopsided blooms have prominent lips. They grow in the upper axils of the linear or lance shaped, deep green arching leaves. Roscoeas prefer a well drained, moderately fertile, humus rich, moist, acid soil in a cool, sheltered position in partial shade. Roscoea cautleyoides likes to be planted at least six inches deep and thrives in situations where hellebores, erythroniums and snowdrops grow well.
Propagation: Sow seed in containers in a cold frame as soon as ripe. Divide in spring.
Tulbaghia x Violacea
Tulbaghias hail from southern Africa where they are known as ‘wild garlic’ because their leaves give off a garlicky or oniony smell when crushed. Don’t let this put you off, however. Tulbaghia x violacea is an elegant species that forms clumps and has linear, greyish green leaves and delicate lilac flowers carried in loose, terminal umbels on stems up to 24 inches tall. The flowers appear from midsummer to early autumn and make a delightful spectacle if plenty are planted together. The flowers are tiny tubes with six spreading tepals and a small trumpet-like corona. A position in full sun is a must for this tulbaghia and it does well in moderately fertile, humus rich, loamy soil with very sharp drainage.
Propagation: Sow seed in containers in cold frame as soon as ripe or in spring.
