A jewel for shade

Here's an enjoyable indoor job for a very rainy day! I'm planting Erythronium dens canis 'Lilac Wonder' in pots so they'll be ready to put into a woodland garden when we plant out in early spring. Also known as the Dog's Tooth Violet, these shade loving little jewels are brilliant nestled underneath shrubs or trees. In April/May they will put out dainty reflexed purple flowers above a neat clump of attractive mottled foliage. You'll have to Google them to see just how beautiful they are. Planting bulbs in pots is a good idea if you have plans to redesign an area of the garden over autumn/winter and you're not able to put them directly into the ground. Just remember to provide a free draining compost with plenty of grit and don't forget to label them clearly. I'm adding a layer of perlite on top of the compost which should help ensure that either a soggy top or hard crust doesn't form on the surface