Yellow is the colour of spring but there other shades; blue is pretty common too. One of the prettiest spring flowers is Omphalodes cappadocica, a tough little cookie from Turkey. It is no great shakes in summer with mid green, typically roughish leaves for Boraginaceae and a rather woody-based, clumping habit. But in spring it is a charmer with bright blue flowers, most often seen as the cultivar ‘Cherry Ingram’ of prunus fame who got a mention last week. But I have, at present, just the rather more modern ‘Starry Eyes’. It starts to bloom at a height of just 10cm but as it grows it can double that. Growing well in sun or part shade and tolerating most soils except boggy, it is a great little thing.

And below is persicaria ‘Red Dragon’ just starting to appear. This is another cracking plant that is tough and colourful and this poor specimen has tolerated years of neglect. It can reach 1m high and across by late summer but it always looks good.

Omphalodes cappadocica, omphalodes starry eyes, persicaria red dragon