Hepatica

I adore hepaticas but, having read in my fellow blipper Rainette’s journal that they are difficult to grow and resent being transplanted, I wasn’t convinced that I’d manage to cultivate them in my garden.

Nevertheless, last April I investigated suppliers in the UK and found the Ashwood Nurseries site, which has a large variety of hepaticas. The easiest one to grow in British gardens, they said, was Hepatica nobilis Ashwood Blues, so I bought eight plants. A few weeks ago when I picked my way around the stepping stone path at the back of the garden I was disappointed because I couldn’t see any of them, and thought they were lost. 

So imagine my delight a few days ago when I spotted the plants, with a tiny bud on one of them. I’m pleased to say they have all survived and several are now in flower. I am thrilled to bits and am looking forward to trying to get some better shots of them when I’m hopefully no longer feeling quite so dizzy and can bend down low enough!