Puschkinia scilloides var. Libanotica

Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica, Striped squill is a pretty addition to the early spring garden and regrettably not seen as often as it deserves to be. The flowers (porcelain-white with blue stripes) are carried on crowded stems and despite their modest height, a small group of them always attracts attention.

Here it blooms for us in April, early rather than late, the stem rising some 15cm high between a pair of shiny green leaves. One of the best bulbs for naturalizing, small and neat, trouble-free, never a nuisance and flourishing in almost any soil in light shade as well as in sun.

Planting it with Anemone blanda, Chionodoxa, Ipheion or Fritillaria meleagris; left alone these bulb will return every spring, asking nothing in return.