Cyclamen coum weren't happy this winter

Garden noob

I've had cyclamen coum in the garden for three or four years, but half of my original plants didn't return this winter (I've got quite a few babies now though 😁). I've bought a couple more plants to replace them, but want to avoid the same fate if possible. 

The soil is quite good, bordering slightly on clay but not heavy clay. We had a lot of rain this year so I'm not sure if they rotted in the ground. They're next to the east fence so they are shaded in the morning and then again from about 4pm, but do see the sun during the middle of the day in the summer.

What would you do to increase the chances of them coming back next winter? I do like my cyclamen coum, but am not a fan of overly fussy plants so am ideally looking for a one-off solution. 

Thanks

Papi Jo

I've had no success with Cyclamen coum in my garden. They just sit there and do not grow. I get the occasional flower, but that's it. Quite disappointing.

Fairygirl

They grow very readily in my wet clay soil.
They might be too dry rather than too wet. They're really woodland edge plants, enjoying shade from other planting in summer

punkdoc

As @Fairygirl says, I think the key is shade.

Papi Jo

@punkdoc & @Fairygirl Well, my C. coum are planted in fairly clayish, damp soil, under a pergola, so have plenty of water and shade. Why don't they grow?

On the other hand, my C. hederifolium grow happily at the foot of my crab apple-tree!

Garden noob

Ah, I wondered if sun might be the issue... Ironically we've got quite a shady garden, but I want these to be easily visible from the house as they flower in Jan, so that limits our options.

Can anyone think of a nice plant could offer shade during the summer without obscuring the cyclamen in the winter? Ideally up to about 18" tall and 18" wide due to the space available.

I guess plan B could be a mulch. 

Fire

Any kind of suited perennial that dies back in winter would be ok. Geranium Rozanne would be ok. I have cyclamen hederafolia that is shadowed by Lemon Queen and linaria in the summer. It seems to work well. 

Garden noob

Yes! The trusty geranium! And funnily enough I wanted to move my Rozanne because it doesn't do well in the current spot because there's not enough sun. It gets quite leggy by the end of the summer. Two birds with one stone. Thank you! 

Fairygirl

If you like grasses, Hackenochloa would fit the bill. 

I'd second Geraniums. I don't grow many clump forming, suitable  perennials, but I'm sure you'll get other suggestions.

Liriodendron

I think Cyclamen coum is a bit like snowdrops - it either likes you or it doesn't...  tried several times in different parts of my Yorkshire garden, in damp soil and shade, and it faded away after a couple of seasons.  Snowdrops were happiest under the rose hedge, not under the plum tree where I'd have liked them to grow.