Hellebores, Primroses and Snowdrops

Snowdrops

I have planted six snowdrops in various places this year in the hopes that I will succeed with those but I have been trying for thirty years now and not much success so far! 

What I have been very successful with are hellebores and primroses which are now flowering all over the garden and look wonderful. 

Hellebore in the sun

The hellebores like the clay, which this garden is made up of.  I have double ones, single ones and white and dark red ones and they have been reproducing themselves all over the place. Their nectar-rich, open cupped flowers provide essential food for foraging queen bumble bees and other insects from early spring to March, a time when early food is scarce.

Single white hellebore

Single red hellebore

They are happy in partial shade where their evergreen leaves provide interest all year round. Remember that they don't like being planted too deep. Lay a mulch of organic matter over the soil to help stop it drying out. 

Single white hellebore

The primroses are usually eaten by something at this time of year but this year, there must be enough of something else because they haven't been eaten so far. I have lots of primroses all over the garden, they too like the clay and are spreading. Of course I like the highly coloured ones, but I don't grow them because I prefer the true wild primrose.

Some of the primroses in the garden