Plants I Keep Meaning to Plant

There are plants I really love and keep meaning to make room for in my garden. I’ve just been reading an article about Trilliums and reminded myself how much I love them. Ever since I first saw their unusual lily-like flowers shining out of the dappled shade I have wanted some in my garden. They would particularly like conditions in one part of my garden which gets quite a bit of shade from a Beech tree. I just need to juggle a couple of ferns into a different space and I’ll have the perfect place.

The trouble is that they are best transplanted as they start to die back in late June or early July, just when us garden designers are super busy. At this time of year I’ve always got several projects in various stages of design or build and I forget about my careful plans for my own garden, or run out of time to put them into action.

Trilliums are woodland plants and as my garden backs onto a small wood they would work really well. They don’t like to be too wet or too dry which is a tricky balance, but you can help out with mulching and good soil preparation. I’ve got a plentiful supply of leaf mould which makes the perfect mulch and compost for Trilliums. I also know where to get some pine needles, which when composted with some other organic matter suits Trilliums well as a mulch or compost and provides really good drainage.

Trilliums come in a variety of colours, although most commonly in white and all shades of red from dark purple through to pale pink, there is also a yellow variety. You can get double flowered varieties which are gorgeous. Some Trilliums also have wonderful ornamental leaves with dark spots on them. They look exotic, but are not difficult to grow and make a fantastic understory in a woodland planting scheme.

Apparently the Trillium is the wildflower symbol of Ontario – well, you learn something new every day.....

Here’s a link to a site that supplies Trilliums on-line.

If you need any help with any area of your garden, from planting advice please to full garden design, please get in touch by emailing me at linsey@linseysgardens.com, or visit my Web site for other contact details.