Polemonium Bressingham Purple

<strong>Polemonium, sometimes called polemonies, are somewhat forgotten plants</strong> formerly very <strong>common in our grandmothers' gardens for their splendid arched foliage reminiscent of ferns</strong>. Luxuriant finely divided leaves in glossy dark green tones, sometimes attractively variegated with cream or pale pink, <strong>their ease of cultivation, excellent hardiness and spontaneous sowing have undoubtedly contributed to their success</strong>. T<strong>hey also benefit from a long flowering in blue, violet, white or pale pink</strong> which provides lovely brightness to woodland edges or shaded banks. Flowering of Polemonium stretches over about two months, beginning with late tulips, peonies and Oriental poppies, with which Polemonium coeruleum harmonises beautifully. <strong>The airy flowering also complements old-fashioned roses gracefully</strong>. Cultivar ‘Brise d’Anjou’, selected by Pépinières Prouteau for its distinctive foliage streaked with cream, also produces a later flowering from August to October of deep violet-blue, while Polemonium reptans flowers in May–June, studding matt green foliage with dense heads of lavender-blue or white flowers. <strong>Polemonies make very pretty bedding plants, often used as borders, but equally at home in a rock garden</strong> even on slightly calcareous soil. They prefer rich, clayey, cool soils as well as drained humus-bearing soils. Groundcover species such as Polemonium pulcherrimum and carneum can cover a trough or a sunny to semi-shaded rock garden. Some species readily self-seed if spent flowers are left.