Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’

March has been and gone but my plant of the month is still flowering well into April.

Pulmonaria, also commonly known as ‘Lungwort’, a plant native to Europe that thrives in UK gardens.

My excuse for ‘missing’ the month is due to the early arrival of my little granddaughter on 4 March, which also happened to be the day of the first proper snow of the winter. Peeping through the snow I noticed the stunning blue flowers of Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’, with its little sprays of cup shaped flowers that put up with the vagaries of early spring weather. Its leaves are plain green and not spectacular, unlike other types with their silver spotted or frosty looking foliage. But who needs fancy foliage with such a beautiful shade of blue. This plant looks lovely next to the soft yellow of primroses.

These are plants for semi or full shade – think dappled woodland. Their leaves can be very decorative and the silvery types light up dark areas. However, they are not suited to dry shade and prefer a bit of moisture in the soil. Their leaves are prone to mildew later on in the summer, but I just shear off all top growth, give the plants a good drink and wait for the new foliage to emerge.

Pulmonaria rubra

Their flowers are a magnet for bumble bees that emerge in early spring when sources of food are hard to find. I spotted Pulmonaria rubra flowering in January this year, so make room in your garden for these great little plants and give the bees a treat.