Elegant Companions Of Spring Plants – Only a handful of spring bulbs grow to a good size. They include Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum), which flowers in late spring and early summer and likes a shaded or semi-shaded site, and the crown imperials. Grown in three colors – yellow, orange, or deep red – the crown imperials are at their best in mid to late spring in a semi-shady or sunny spot.
While the crown imperials are very imposing, the Solomon’s seal is cool, quiet, and elegant. Both bear their flowers well above ground level, so they look best if they are underplanted with a mound of low-growing plants in complementary colors that flower at the same time.
Pansies and forget-me-nots fulfil this role well, but double daisies or aubretia are viable alternatives. The crown imperials and the Solornon’s seal flower in their pots for several years. After flowering, let the soil dry out and the foliage die down.
Crown imperial
Weathered terracotta
Both these arrangements are planted in swagged terracotta pots. To hasten the weathering process, you can paint yoghurt on the pot holding the crown imperials. The yoghurt attracts moss and lichen, which look especially effective on pots with raised patterns.
Forget-me-nots
Solomon’s seal
Pansies
Aubretia
Pansies in mixed container
