Wallflower Growers Selection (Erysimum) – Scented Spring Bedding (Set of 3 or 6)

The traditional scented wallflower, planted in autumn to fill a border with a mix of colours and perfume the moment spring arrives.

This grower's selection makes a neat upright rosette of narrow green leaves through the winter, then throws up clustered spikes of sweetly scented flowers at 30 to 45cm just as the tulips come through. The two are made for each other, and the scent carries a long way on a still spring day. The flowers are one of the first real nectar sources of the year for bees and early butterflies, and they cut well for a small vase.

Wallflowers are fully hardy through a British winter and shrug off wind and salt, which makes them a good choice for an exposed or seaside garden. What they will not take is heavy ground that stays wet, so give them a sunny spot with free draining or chalky soil, or a container of gritty compost. They are biennials: planted in autumn, they flower the following spring and are then pulled out and replaced. Supplied as established 10.5cm plants, grown peat free in Yorkshire.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Wallflower
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: 30 to 45cm tall by 20 to 30cm across
• Growth Habit: Upright and bushy
• Perfect For: Beds, borders, patio pots and containers, and spring bedding with tulips
• Foliage: Narrow, green
• Flowering Time: Spring
• Planting Position: Full sun or partial shade. It takes dry soil and coastal wind, and grows well in a container
• Soil Type: Free draining or chalky. It dislikes heavy soil that stays wet
• Hardiness: Fully hardy through a British winter
• Maintenance: Low. Plant in autumn, enjoy the spring flowers, then lift and replace
• Seasonal Interest: Spring, with the foliage rosette from autumn
• Type: Hardy biennial bedding