GINA PARKINSON welcomes a commonplace plant that is one of her favourites and remains a true cottage garden specimen.

THE pulmonarias dotted about our garden are raising their heads and opening their welcome spring flowers. Some members of this family of plants could be considered commonplace.

I’m thinking of Pulmonaria officinalis in particular. But what is not to like about a plant that flowers early, will do in all but the driest, sunniest position and will spread gently about the garden?

Then there is the fun spotted foliage – and do get close up to the flowers to see the beautiful colours of the petals in shades of blue and pink.

I have a fondness for this plant that is a true cottage garden specimen, grown by the monks as a cure for lung problems, hence the common name of lungwort, and from then on in herb and ornamental gardens for centuries.

It was my first introduction to the pulmonaria family growing with primroses in my first garden and as a combination of two plants this pairing is still hard to beat.

When growth begins at the start of the season there is no doubt that pulmonarias look a mess. Last year’s leaves have browned and will be blanketing new shoots with a dank covering.

Careful trimming leaves buds and shoots clear to the light and soon flowers are opening. From then on growth is rapid as days lengthen and temperatures begin to rise.

Foliage tends to be a little behind the flowers which, depending on the variety or species, reach their peak through spring. As they die back the leaves get larger, some heavily freckled with silver, some so densely frosted that the green hardly show through and others with no icy marking as all.


Plant Profile: Pulmonaria

GENUS: Pulmonaria.

FAMILY: Boraginacaea.

COMMON NAMES: Lungwort, spotted dog, soldiers and sailors.

FORM: Herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennial.

HEIGHT/WIDTH: Varies according to species and maturity but usually up to 30cm x 20cm or more.

PLANTING: Pot-grown plants can be planted any time from early spring to late autumn.

SITE/SOIL: Prefers to be in fertile moist soil in part to full shade.

PROPAGATION: By division in September to November.

PLANTING COMPANIONS: With pale yellow common primroses and acid green early euphorbias. White varieties such as Sissinghurst White look good with white hellebores brightening up a shady corner whilst darker flowered species complement plum hellebores.

PROBLEMS: Generally pest and disease free but a dry sunny position by cause powdery mildew. Cut away all the affected leaves and water copiously to encourage new growth then move the plant in autumn to a shadier spot.


March pruning

THERE is a lot of cutting back to be done during this month, including trimming back shrubs grown for their bright winter colour such as coloured stemmed dogwoods and willows.

Vigorous varieties can be cut hard back in March to encourage the new growth that will have the best colour. If a shrub seems weak growing or sparse just take out a few of the oldest stems and leave the rest.

Some shrubs don’t respond very well to harsh trimming and seem to produce fewer stems each year. Weed around the base, add a handful of slow release fertiliser and allow the plant to gather strength for a few seasons.


Weekend catch-up

IT IS a good idea to check fencing at the beginning of March before hedges and herbaceous perennials get too big and block access.

The strong winds we had last month may have caused panels to become dislodged, and at this time of year it is still relatively easy to get to them and repair any damage.


Spring plant weekend

PRIMROSE Bank Nursery in Kexby holds its 2014 Hellebores and Spring Flowers Weekend today and tomorrow from 10am-5pm.

There will be information about hellebores and other spring flowering bulbs, shrubs and perennials as well as a woodland garden walk which was planted in 2000.

The nursery is set in nine acres of land with Hebridean sheep grazing in the fields around the nursery.

Owners Sue and Terry Goodwill have won many awards for their show gardens, all of which are designed by Sue. 2013 saw them awarded five silver gilt medals and one gold medal at shows including RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Harrogate Spring Flower Show and Gardening Scotland.

Primrose Bank Nursery can be found at Red Roofs, Dauby Lane, off the A1079 Hull road, Kexby, YO41 5LH.


Gardening TV and radio

Sunday

7.15am, BBC2, Monty Don’s Italian Gardens. This week Monty visits Naples.

8am, BBC Radio Humberside, The Great Outdoors. With Blair Jacobs and Doug Stewart.

9am, BBC Radio York, Julia Lewis. Out and about in North Yorkshires gardens and countryside.

9am, BBC Radio Leeds, Tim Crowther and Joe Maiden.

9.15am, BBC2, Gardeners World. Cyclamen are in the spotlight.

2pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. Bob Flowerdew, Bunny Guinness and Anne Swithinbank answer questions from an audience in Derbyshire. The chairman is Eric Robson.

Friday

3pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. This week the programme is from Cheltenham where chairman Eric Robson and panellists Chris Beardshaw, Pippa Greenwood and Anne Swithinbank answer questions from local gardeners.

8.30pm, BBC2, Gardeners’ World. Monty Don tackles box blight and Joe Swift visits a garden on the Cornish coastline.