There’s no better signal that spring is on its way than the snowdrop. The graceful yet steely flower that thrusts its way valiantly through the frozen soil to fill gardeners with much-needed hope in the dark depths of January and February.
Yet while we’re well used to seeing drifts of white blooms at this time of year, there’s no reason why we can’t inject a few extra colours into our beds and borders, an entire chorus of vibrant blooms keen to share the spotlight. From the vibrant yellows of winter aconites and early daffodils to the purple hues of some hellebore and crocus cultivars, there are many winter blooms ready to join snowdrops in taking our minds off the gloomier days.
Most will happily share free draining, moist soils in sunny spots and almost all will keep coming back year after year; often multiplying to create increasingly stunning displays.
Come January and February, a visit to a garden centre or nursery can yield perky pots of plants in full bloom that offer quick and easy fixes of instant colour for bordersare best planted ‘in the green’, once they’ve finished flowering.
