brunnera Betty Bowring

dockyrph

I love this brunnera but have had no success in my London garden where I have these in clay soil which has been improved (never enough tho ....!) they have sulked, failed to produce a healthy clump of foliage and precious little flower. Could be the plants were rubbish or are they just pickier than advertised?? I had about 7 of them originally - am left with only about 4 I think and they ALL look pretty dreadful. Love the white flowers and the foliage is useful. Don't want a blue flowered version - any recommedations for white variety? loath to give up as anything slug proof is v valuable and with such gorgeous starry flowers ...

Fairygirl

I don't grow Brunnera but white varieties of anything can often be less hardy and a little more fussy so perhaps that's the reason. They like damp and shade so they're useful for those awkward areas but could it be that they prefer more light?  Hopefully, someone who grows them can offer some better advice than me. 

An alternative could be Pulmonaria - I had the white one in a very shady spot in heavy clay at a previous garden and it did well. 

Tropical Sam

I have this and clay loam soil. It takes a few years to settle in and grow well. I found amending the soil with bark and compost helps a lot to decompact the soil and allow Brunnera to thrive.

 

It is not variegated Fairygirl, the only difference is the flower is white rather than the usual blue. The variegated form of Brunnera (jack frost) is just as hardy as the  bog standard one.

Fairygirl

OP said it was a white flowered variety - that's what I was referring to - not foliage. Some white flowering plants can have different requirements to  darker flowered ones of the same species  

Jess is in the Garden

My Dawsons White is nice, not as white as Betty B but still bright. I also have the Jack Frost. I'm also in London and had the shame problem as you with heavy clay. I just dug in and turned over the soil many many times and in the end the brunnera were happy  Took time though.