Don't forget the Ipheions

My impression is that they are rather neglected, which is a pity. For those who have never come across them, they are small bulbs, their leaves slightly smelling of onion, so that you might think that they are alliums, especially as their leaves have a rather allium look about them. Their flowers are star-shaped, none of the varieties more than 15cms high, and these appear early, which is to say right now. The bog standard I.uniflorum is what I would call a rather dirty white, though in the catalogues it will be a very pale blue, with apparently some scent, though I would not buy it on that account. I.un. Wisley Blue is certainly more blue and has moreover won for itself an Award of Garden Merit from the RHS, as has I.un. Froyle Mill, which is of a much stronger colour on the purplish side of blue. I.un. Jessie, this new to me, is a deep blue, while I.un.Charlotte Bishop is almost claret. All these are in fact worth having, as they clump up well to make a good show, die down quickly, if you forget where they are they do not seem to mind being disturbed, and they come free of problems. But for me the stars are I. Alberto Castillo and I.Rolf Fielder. The former looks much like the others so far mentioned but with bigger and definitely white flowers so creating a bigger impact. I.Rolf Fiedler is rather different being much lower to the ground, and it does not clump up in quite the same way, though it does slowly increase. You might think that this would make it a less desirable plant, but so intense is its blue, that even one flower will catch the eye from afar.

Also I suspect rather neglected are the early flowering buddlejas. We have got three in flower at this moment. Perhaps my least favourite is B.officinalis. Its flowers are a very pale lilac, but in sufficient quantity to make a good show. What I do not like about it is its habit, rather too upright, making a rather gaunt bush, even when pruned back after flowering.  B. agathosoma's flowers are also a pale lilac, but what makes this a particularly attractive plant is the combination of flower and leave, the colour of the leaves being a silvery grey. I have planted mine in a very difficult spot, that is to say towards the top of a South facing slope, and it suffers because of this, but it still gives me great pleasure, as apparently it does the great Irish gardener, Hellen Dillon, who recommended it in a recent edition of 'The Garden'. But the star of the show for me is B.officinalisVicomte de Noailles. It is the first year that it has done for me, as it has taken about three years to get to any size, but what a picture it is making. Its advantage over its cousin is the much stronger colour of its flower, better leaf colour, and a very attractive recumbent form. I am rather opposed to the current obsession with 'health and safety' but I suppose I ought to issue a slight health warning. These early buddleyas are slightly more tender than the bog standard B. davidii. My bible for all buddlejas is Le Jardin de Rochevielle's catalogue, where the three budlejas that I have mentioned are put in the minus 10.C. range, which means that for most winters they will be fine. No doubt the fact that we have had a very mild winter explains the fact they are looking particularly good, but even if there is a slight risk it is one that should be taken.