The family Primulaceae encompasses some beautiful flowers, not least those of the Cyclamen. The species cyclamen offer colour at a time of year when much in the garden is fading fast hederifolium flowering from September and coum from January when only a few other brave species are struggling into life. Not only are the flowers exquisite but the varieties of patterns on the foliage a source of never-ending surprises.The hardy species of cyclamen offered below are easy to grow and ideal for the garden. They are grown from seed by ourselves: the tubers (not corms!) are therefore not as large as those from illegally imported ones dug from the wild but will nevertheless establish well, if not better. These tubers will continue to grow and an undisturbed patch of cyclamen will establish over a period of years.
Ideally, cyclamen like a lightly shaded position, well drained with lots of shredded leaf mould. The site chosen needs to remain moist during the autumn and late spring. Commonly, gardeners plant them at the base of trees and shrubs, north-facing walls or in stone troughs and rock gardens.
Early autumn is a good time to plant your cyclamen so on receipt, you may wish to pot up your cyclamen into 3-4” pots (7 or 9cm) and hold over. Alternatively keep them in pots and they will be quite happy. Some people grow them on their windowsills to enjoy close up the delicate nature of these plants.