
Galanthus ‘Lavinia’, Crocus tommasinianus, Asarum, Betula utilis and Ilex – Dial Park – © Elke Borkowski/GAP Photos
When you’ve been cooped up indoors over winter, stepping outside on a crisp January morning can be like walking into another world. If you take time to create your own winter wonderland, you can reap the rewards year after year. Most early spring flowering bulbs have evolved to take advantage of the brief gap in January and February when there are no leaves on the trees and other plants are still dormant. They are used to growing in freely-draining soil which is rich in leaf mould, but not overly fertile. If you can offer these conditions in a corner of your plot, plant spring flowers en-masse and they will romp away, offering a better show every year. Here the blooms have been set off beautifully by the dramatic bark of a silver birch, while a standard holly brings height to the planting without casting too much shade. Different heights around ground level add to the visual interest. Galanthus ‘Lavinia’ is a tall and elegant snowdrop, half as large again as crocus ‘Tommasinianus’ which only grows to 10cm. Both naturalise happily together. Further interest is provided by the shapely rounded leaves of Asarum. On frosty mornings the delicate veins of each leaf can be highlighted with a tracery of ice crystals, bringing an extra layer of magic to the scheme.
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