Ipheion

A small group of bulbous perennials, which can flower as early as mid winter, through to mid spring. Very suitable for growing in pots, or as early colour amongst dormant perennials, or under and around shrubs. A good variety of colours are available and as a bonus the flowers can produce a lovely sweet scent. A couple of stand out performers are I. 'Alberto Castillo', with super tidy foliage and large, pure white flowers and the intense blue flowers of I. 'Jessie'.

Honey-scented flowers (contrasting surprisingly well with the onion-scented leaves - a good culinary hint perhaps!), attract early emerging bumblebees and other bees and flies. Popping up outside the confines of gardens in many places nowadays, but as these are generally not in natural habitats (pavement cracks, brownfield sites etc) it is not of concern.