This plant comes with a dire, stark warning. Planting cyclamen can make your garden look awful. Please, whatever you do, don’t plant it in your flowerbeds in rows, or in strange little pots on your patio. I’m sorry to be so strident: I just know how much better these little plants look when you give them the right home, and if you have ever seen a whole army of them scattered in grass or amongst the undergrowth around trees, you’ll know what I mean. Their little heads nod gently above ground level, and from a distance the dark ground becomes neon. It is fabulous.
They will thank you for giving them a nice place to grow: using ants to spread their seed and clustering among the roots of trees. I’ve heard the corms can grow to huge, saucer-like proportions once in the ground, but I’ve never seen this: I’m too in love with the little dainty flowers to ever disturb this lovely spring plant.
Vital stats:
Location:
Well-drained, humus-rich soil
Light:
Happiest in part-shade at the roots of trees
When to plant:
October
What can I expect from this plant?
Height: 4in
Spread: 6in
Flowers: March
10% off at Victoriana Nurseries
Anyone visiting Victoriana from F&F will automatically get a discount on their order. Click the link above.
Image a day
