Pulmonarias are great spring plants that offer value all summer, writes Gina Parkinson.

MY pulmonarias have been lovely this year, clumps of frosted leaves and pink and lilac flowers throughout the garden hiding the dying foliage of snowdrops and mingling with forget-me-nots.

One plant in the shady front garden has behaved strangely, however, and produced white blooms although I thought it to be mauve 'Mary Mottram' and haven't recently put anything new there.

Pulmonarias are great spring plants which, once the flowers have gone, still play a part in the garden with their spotted or frosted leaves lasting most of the summer.

They are best grown in moist soil in shade or at least part shade. By July or sometimes earlier, depending on the weather, they can look quite mildewed and sorry for themselves. This is easily remedied with a severe cutting back and good soaking of water. New leaves soon appear to fill the gap and will remain fresh looking for several more weeks.

There are many specimens from the pulmonaria family to choose from. P. 'Roy Davidson', for example, has lovely light blue flowers held above spotted dark green narrow leaves, while P. 'Majeste' has almost completely silvered leaves and darker violet flowers.

'Blue Buttons' has dark leaves and a mass of blue flowers and the attractively named low-growing 'Spilled Milk' has blue flowers that fade to pink.

Not all pulmonarias are blue flowered.

Pulmonaria rubra 'David Ward', for example, has pale green leaves edged with cream and coral red flowers, while 'Raspberry Splash' has rich dark pink blooms similar to those of 'Berries and Cream'.

'Stillingfleet Meg' is a little different, having sparsely spotted leaves and clear pink flowers. This plant was named for the eldest daughter of Vanessa Cook of Stillingfleet Lodge Nurseries, holder of the National Pulmonaria collection.

White specimens include 'Sissinghurst White', P.Rubra albocorollata and P. Officinalis 'Alba'. Another is Pulmonaria officinalis 'White Wings' with pink-throated blooms.

Pulmonarias are easy to look after and will grow into a good clump of flowers and foliage after a couple of years. The cool shady conditions they prefer also attract slugs and snails but the coarse, hairy leaves of the plant usually deter these pests. After a few years overgrown clumps can be lifted from the ground, divided and replanted or potted up.

Stillingfleet Lodge Nurseries, near York, holds a large stock of pulmonarias including many unusual and hard to find specimens. The nursery is open from April 11 to October 18 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am-4pm.

The garden will also be open on Saturday afternoons in May and June. The catalogue and garden details can be seen on the website at www.stillingfleetlodgenurseries.co.uk.

For a copy of the catalogue send 10 x 2nd class stamps together with address details to Stillingfleet Lodge Nurseries, Stillingfleet, York, YO19 6HP. For a list of the plants send 2 x 2nd class stamps to the same address. Plants are also available mail order either via the website or by ringing 01904 728506.

Updated: 16:18 Friday, April 08, 2005