February is the last of the deep winter months, and spring is just around the corner. Look out for primroses and early spring bulbs popping up. Plant camellias for vibrant colour and shade-loving shrubs such as daphne and sarcococca to add a wonderful fragrance to your garden.
By the time February rolls around, most of us are fed up with cold, wet weather and ready for spring. Spotting the first crocuses, Iris reticulata and primroses peeping out from bare beds and frosty lawns is an instant mood lifter, and while I'm trying not to obsess over how much the green shoots in my spring bulb lasagne pot have grown, it's hard not to when they bring me so much joy.
If you want to give the love of your life (and yes, that can be you) a gift that keeps on growing this Valentine's Day, choose a plant that will flower in their garden year after year. It's too early for traditional roses, but camellias offer similar showy blooms with the added advantage of evergreen foliage. Or gift a daphne, which will fill a garden with its sweet, heady fragrance – far more attractive and longer lasting than a bottle of perfume.
Whether you prefer vibrant colour or subtle pastel shades, there are plenty of flowers in season in February to add colour and joy to your garden.
Primula 'Oakleaf White' – February flower of the Month
Primula vulgaris is a native wildflower and one of the earliest perennials to flower in the UK. It's a welcome sight in late winter and early spring, popping up alongside snowdrops and crocuses around woodlands, hedgerows and gardens. The Oakleaf cultivars come in a range of bright colours, but my favourite is Primula 'Oakleaf White', which has pretty yellow-centered white flowers.
Primroses are hardy plants that grow best in shade, but can also cope with sun as long as it doesn't get too hot. They look wonderful in woodland gardens and are a great choice for shady borders in a cottage garden. Primroses also grow well in pots and, once they've finished flowering, you can plant them in your garden to come back year after year.
Primula 'Oakleaf White' is a February birth flower and our February flower of the month. Get 25% off this month!
Plant it with…
Brunnera macrophylla: This hardy shade-loving perennial is primarily grown for its beautiful silvery foliage, but it also produces delicate blue forget-me-not-type flowers from April to June.
Polyanthus Orange: Polyanthus (false oxlip) is another type of primula that's commonly grown as an annual, though it is technically a perennial. This variety has vibrant orange leaves that pick up the yellow tones of Primula 'Oakleaf White'. A beautiful pairing for a pot or hanging basket.
Iris reticulata: Irises are another birth flower for February and this petite dwarf variety is one of the earliest bulbs to flower, offering a burst of colour to accompany Primula 'Oakleaf White'.
Camellia 'Bonomiana'
Camellias are the roses of winter. These evergreen shrubs produce masses of large, showy flowers that resemble roses or peonies. Japanese camellias and Camellia × williamsii hybrids flower from late winter through spring, depending on the variety. Camellia 'Bonomiana' is an early-flowering variety with stunning light pink formal, double blooms.
The key to growing camellias successfully is to make sure the growing conditions are right. They need acidic soil, partial shade and regular watering during mid-late summer. If you don't have the right soil, you can plant most camellias in a large container with good drainage. Camellia 'Bonomiana' is an upright variety that grows up to four metres, but it can be kept more compact with pruning.
Plant it with…
Acer 'Taylor': Camellias pair wonderfully with acers in Japanese style gardens as both prefer slightly acidic soil and partial shade. Acer 'Taylor' has striking pale pink foliage that will come into full growth as 'Bonomiana' is fading.
Hydrangea 'Vanille Fraise': This panicle hydrangea blooms in late summer, producing large cream and pink panicles of flowers. Planting it alongside Camellia 'Bonomiana' gives you low-maintenance, year-round interest.
Hosta 'June': Underplant camellias with hostas for a lush, green layered effect. Hosta 'June' has beautiful yellow-green leaves that turn blue at the edges. Purple flowers in summer add further interest.
Daphne 'Perfume Princess'
Daphnes are renowned for their fragrant blooms and Daphne 'Perfume Princess' is one of the most highly perfumed cultivars. It also has one of the longest flowering periods, blooming from January through to March. The flower buds start off deep pink before blooming into light pink and white flowers that cluster along the stems. Daphnes are evergreen shrubs, so the accompanying green, leathery foliage stays on the plant year-round.
Daphne 'Perfume Princess' is hardier than other daphne plants, though it may need some protection in cold winters. You can grow it in the ground or in a large pot, in full sun or partial shade. Plant it next to a patio or doorway to make the most of its wonderful fragrance.
Plant it with…
Astilbe 'Short 'n' Sweet Sugarberry': This compact astilbe flowers in summer, with beautiful pale pink flowers that mirror the daphne's earlier blooms. Astilbes and daphnes are great companions, as they have similar growing preferences and offer interest at different times of year.
Polystichum tsus-simense: Ferns offer contrasting texture, providing a backdrop for daphnes to shine. Make sure you choose a fern that prefers moist soil and shady conditions, such as this Korean rock fern.
Helleborus 'Angel Glow': Hellebores and daphnes are ideal companions for a late-winter border or patio display. 'Angel Glow' produces lovely pink-tinged white flowers from January through to late March or April.
Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain'
Shade-loving plants with colourful flowers are relatively hard to find, and pulmonaria, or lungwort, as it's commonly called, offers not only spring flowers but interesting silver-spotted leaves. It's a mainstay of a shady cottage garden border and particularly valuable as it flowers early in the year – from late winter or early spring – providing colour and nectar for bees.
Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain' is one of the longest flowering lungworts with striking blue, bell-shaped flowers that cluster on short stems above the attractive foliage. It really gets going in March, but in milder areas, it can start blooming at the end of February. It's fully hardy and easy to care for, as long as it's planted in moist soil in partial shade.
Plant it with…
Polemonium 'Stairway to Heaven': Polemonium (Jacob's ladder) is a natural companion for pulmonaria, thriving in the same conditions. The soft blue, bell-shaped flowers of 'Stairway to Heaven' appear a little later than Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain' and rise above beautiful variegated foliage.
Bergenia 'Bressingham White': Evergreen foliage provides excellent year-round groundcover and the white (later tinged with pale pink) flowers bloom from mid-spring.
Heuchera 'Midnight Rose': Heucheras are wonderful companions for flowering plants in shady borders, offering year-round colour. The deep purple, pink-speckled leaves of 'Midnight Rose' offer contrast and depth when planted with Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain'.
FAQ
What are February's birth flowers?
February's birth flowers are violets, primroses and irises. Winter violets are one of the few flowers that bloom over winter, and when primroses flower in February, it's a welcome sign that spring is on its way. Most irises come up later in the year, but Iris reticulata is a February flower and one of the first spring bulbs to bloom.
What flowers can I plant in February in the UK?
February is the perfect time to sow sweet peas. Sow them in deep pots and keep them in a cool, frost-free place, such as a greenhouse or bright windowsill. You can also sow hardy annuals like cosmos, stock, larkspur and cornflowers. If you live in a mild area, you can plant dahlia tubers and lily bulbs in pots under cover this month.
