Jewels of January: Pulmonarias will give your garden a shot of colour till spring arrives - and provide nectar for the bees 

  • Pulmonarias grow so freely; some regard them as little more than weeds
  • In medieval times it was believed they could be used to treat lung diseases
  • Other names for them include spotted dog and beggar's basket

By Constance Craig Smith For Weekend Magazine

Published: | Updated:

Pulmonarias grow so freely, and self-seed so readily, that some people regard them as little more than weeds. They have been a staple of cottage gardens for centuries and have all sorts of strange nicknames as a result: they're most commonly known as lungwort - in medieval times it was believed the leaves could be used to treat lung diseases - as well as spotted dog, soldiers and sailors, beggar's basket, Jerusalem cowslips and Adam and Eve.

The rather coarse, hairy leaves, with their splashes of white and silver, may not be particularly beautiful, but the flowers are charming, delicate little bells of purple, pink, red and white. As one of the earliest plants to flower they are an important source of nectar for insects, particularly the delightful hairy-footed flower bee, whose arrival in February in southern parts of the UK is always a welcome sign that winter is almost over.

The rather coarse, hairy leaves, with their splashes of white and silver, may not be particularly beautiful, but the flowers are charming, delicate little bells of purple, pink, red and white

The rather coarse, hairy leaves, with their splashes of white and silver, may not be particularly beautiful, but the flowers are charming, delicate little bells of purple, pink, red and white

Vanessa Cook, whose beautiful garden and nursery at Stillingfleet Lodge in Yorkshire has an extensive collection of pulmonarias, says, 'They are so easy to grow, they flower early and they grow happily in shade. I really don't know why pulmonarias aren't more popular. I think some people are put off because the leaves can get a bit mildewy, but all you do is cut off the affected leaves and the plant will look great again.'

The earliest pulmonarias, such as blueish purple P. mollis and purple 'Barfield Regalia', are often in bloom by Christmas and will continue flowering for several months. Many other varieties will come into bloom in February and March and go on until late April. If you have areas of dense shade in your garden, Vanessa particularly recommends P. rubra, which flowers very early, is evergreen and has pretty coral flowers. 'It makes very good ground cover for those difficult shaded areas,' she says. Another of her favourites is 'Blue Ensign'; although its plain green leaves aren't evergreen, it has stunning purplish-blue flowers.

As one of the earliest plants to flower they are an important source of nectar for the hairy-footed flower bee

As one of the earliest plants to flower they are an important source of nectar for the hairy-footed flower bee

If you are after a pink pulmonaria, try 'Pink Haze' or one of Vanessa's own introductions, 'Stillingfleet Meg'. For a white form, there's the rather refined 'Sissinghurst White', which is very effective in lighting up shady patches of ground. Among my favourites is 'Opal', with pale blue flowers which have a lovely luminous quality. One of the most commonly found pulmonarias is P. officinalis, whose flowers open pink and then turn blue, so that you get several different colours on the same plant.

All pulmonarias like a cool, shady situation, and will go floppy if they're placed in direct sun. They are quite promiscuous plants and if you don't deadhead them assiduously, you'll end up swamped with seedlings in a mixture of colours. They're very easy to divide after flowering, however, so you can easily increase your stock of plants. And for a really lovely effect, try mixing pulmonarias with dark-flowered hellebores, bergenias and primroses. n 

The nursery at stillingfleetlodge nurseries.co.uk is closed until 1 April, but pulmonarias can be collected in person at any time if pre-ordered. Other good suppliers are bethchatto.co.uk and crocus.co.uk.

All pulmonarias like a cool, shady situation, and will go floppy if they're placed in direct sun

All pulmonarias like a cool, shady situation, and will go floppy if they're placed in direct sun

 

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