Feed Spring Greenery with White
Tulip ‘White Conqueror’ is the essence of spring. There’s an elegance to these fluted, lily-flowered tulips that’s hard to beat. Here, the snow-white blooms are mirrored by the colorful edges of hosta ‘Patriot’, whose radiant good health can’t help but catch the eye. April and May bring a burst of leaf growth to our gardens, and this border shows how effective variegated leaf shapes and textures can be, offering plenty of detail to see. From the sheen of fresh buxus leaves to the saucer-like flowering sea kale, it offers a continuous feast.
Plant your border
Rich but well-drained soil. Boxwood and hosta show signs of wilting when dry. Planting in partial shade helps keep the soil moist when it doesn’t get much rain. Remove perennial weeds, then work in well-rotted organic matter, which helps improve drainage. Add additional sand if needed and give it an annual mulch.
1. Establishing the box
Spring is a great time to plant new box plants. Resist the temptation to soak the container thoroughly and enrich the planting hole before planting; you’ll create a damp sump under its roots. Blight is understandably on the mind of anyone considering a box, so choose from a reliable supplier. If you’ve lost a box in the past, consider Ilex crenata instead. Clip the topiary in June and September to ensure a crisp exterior all year round. Feed with a general-purpose fertilizer in the spring to boost growth.
Although box is expensive and grows very slowly, it’s very easy to propagate from semi-ripe cuttings in late summer. You can root them directly in garden soil, but they root more quickly and with greater success in cooler climates.
2. Plant the crampon
Plant flowering sea kale in early spring while it’s dormant or in fall. They don’t like to be disturbed, so choose a young plant and plant early to ensure minimal damage to its deep roots. Or, propagate your own plants from seed. Water well, mulch, and protect the young leaves from slug and snail damage. The flower cones are usually self-supporting, but are best staked in exposed locations for extra insurance against summer storms.
3. Add the other perennials
Hosta, pulmonaria, and aconite are easy-to-grow herbaceous perennials that can be planted in spring or fall. Always wear gloves when handling aconite, as all parts are poisonous. Soak the pots well before planting and water well. Soak the plants during prolonged droughts during the first growing season. If pulmonaria is affected by powdery mildew, cut them back to ground level, water them heavily, and feed them. Slugs and snails love hostas, so protect your plants from the start by using organic pellets or bait traps. Cleaning up old leaves and making sure there are no obvious snail and slug hiding places nearby can really help. After three or so years, Pulmonaria and Hosta will have formed clumps large enough that you can lift them in the fall or spring, replanting healthy sections. Aconitums can also be divided, but they don’t grow as quickly.
4. Finish with tulips
It’s best to plant tulip bulbs in late fall or early winter, even November or December, when the cool weather will help reduce the risk of soil-borne diseases. Order early to get the cultivar you’re looking for. Plant the bulbs about twice their original depth, about 10-15cm deep. 'White Triumvirate' is one of the most reliable perennial tulips if left in the ground, but you can increase the display the following year by deadheading, giving the plants a balanced feed after flowering and resisting the urge to clean up the dying leaves. Or, lift the bulbs as they die back and save the largest ones for replanting in the autumn.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLANTS
A. Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain'
A long-flowering Pulmonaria with clusters of dark blue flowers March-May and ground-covering leaves with silver spots. Height: 45 cm.
B. Tulipa 'White Triumvirate'
A graceful white fluted tulip that blooms on tall but strong stems in late April-May. A border with white forget-me-nots Reliable and a great choice for perennials. Height: 60 cm, spread: 15 cm.
C. ACONITUM ‘Sparkle’
The almost purple hooded flowers appear throughout the summer. Wear gloves as every part of this plant is poisonous. H: 1.4 m, S: 60 cm.
D. CRAMBE CORDIFOLIA
A magnificent herbaceous perennial with small white clouds of honey-scented flowers, blooming in June-July, floating to 1.5 m above a cluster of heart-shaped green leaves. H&S: 1.5 m
E. BUXUS SEMPERVIRENS
A classic small-leaved evergreen shrub suitable for covering and hedging. Invest in a size that will bring instant weight to your planting. Unpruned H&S: up to 5 m
D. HOSTA 'PATRIOT'
A vigorous variegated hosta with wrinkled green leaves and thick irregular white leaf margins. Light pink flowers, July-August. Requires partial or full shade. H&S: 75 cm
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