Tellima grandiflora

fringe cups

This lovely hardy perennial is a tried and tested old favourite, yet as spring gets into its stride, I am once again reminded of the contribution it makes to our garden at this time of the year. Always a welcome sight, the upright spires of creamy white flowers, bell-shaped and tinged with pink, erupt from their clumps of fresh green, rounded, scalloped leaves.

This is a plant that is easy to grow and makes few demands in return. It grows happily in sun, part shade or shade, in dry or damp soil, self seeds in a manageable way, and the seedlings almost always come up in just the right spot.

My favourite place to grow Tellima grandiflora is in a woodland setting or in the dappled shade of a group of shrubs, maybe among ferns, dicentra, epimedium and the emerging foliage of hostas – quite honestly the opportunities are endless and the effect will always be instantly attractive.

Later in the year, the foliage may take on hues of red and bronze and there is a form called ‘Purpurea’ which purports to have stronger autumnal colours. However, tellimas belong in the Saxifragaceae family and are therefore closely related to heuchera, tiarella and mitella and it seems to me that these are a promiscuous lot so you never quite know what you are getting.

Last word, and it’s unlikely to happen this year, but you can get spells of quite sharp frosts in late April and early May, in which case the beautiful flower spikes of the fringe cups will be felled instantly!

NB Louise has published a beautifully produced book of her plant profiles – A Plant for Each Week of the Year. It costs £9.99 and is for sale in our online shop here.

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