Signs of Spring 5


The fresh growth of Dicentra spectabilis has really started to show through this week. It's a perennial that at first unfurls itself in a similar fashion to a fern, and the new growth is tinged with purple. I have this in my woodland garden, where it hides the unsightly strap-like leaves of the daffodils whilst they die down.

I'll post a picture of the flowers around April/May time - to me they look like strings of pink lockets that make me smile. Dicentra has some wonderful common names such as Lady in the Bath and Bleeding Heart.

Comments

  1. Anonymous13 March 2008 at 19:34

    How lovely. I am just planning a new flower bed - and I want the dicentra to be the star of the April May show - I love them
    regards
    Karen
    PS Well done on getting your letter published in Amateur Gardening - nice one!
    K

    ReplyDelete
  2. dND13 March 2008 at 19:59

    I love dicentra, the pink version is so sweet and I adore the white one too.

    Not sure how well it would do out here but as I don't plan on doing much in my garden until I have the farm running I can spend a bit of time deciding where it may survive.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous13 March 2008 at 22:17

    What a cheering sight. I must have a look to see if mine is coming through yet. Have you ever tried to propagate it ?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous13 March 2008 at 23:01

    P.S. I forgot to say that I like the signs of spring slide show.

    ReplyDelete
  5. kate14 March 2008 at 00:46

    This is the first Bleeding Heart I have seen this spring. The foliage is so beautiful... I'm looking forward to seeing your guerilla gardening...

    Happy Birthday!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. kate14 March 2008 at 00:57

    This is the first Bleeding Heart I have seen this spring. The foliage is so beautiful... I'm looking forward to seeing your guerilla gardening...

    Happy Birthday!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. this is my patch14 March 2008 at 19:39

    I like your signs of Spring idea, the dicentra is lovely, I have a very large pink one, and a more delicate white one. Such a welcome sight at this time of year, the foliage popping out the soil is such a great colour. x

    ReplyDelete
  8. VP18 March 2008 at 11:57

    Hi Karen - glad you like Dicentra as much as I do. I wouldn't be without them in the Spring. Thanks for the congrats too!

    dnd - Hello again! They like quite a shady, woodland spot. So if you've got that somewhere on the farm, I'm sure you can slot a couple of them in somewhere.

    Anna - no I haven't. The roots are quite brittle apparently, so I've just gone for the cheap offers in places like Homebase

    Kate - good to see you again. It's such a good value plant isn't it? Spectacular foliage followed by lovely flowers...

    Louise - spot on re the foliage. I haven't got the white version, but I'm tempted to squeeze in a couple somewhere...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous18 March 2008 at 15:44

    I love the white one - do see if you can squeeze one in! Am not a fan of pink (despite, or perhaps because, having two small girls)

    ReplyDelete
  10. VP20 March 2008 at 20:20

    Hi Lisa - I've just worked out the perfect spot for some white ones. I'm off to get them in the morning :)

    ReplyDelete

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