The main flowering period for the woodland is January, February, March and April. Over the years I have planted a few Cyclamen hederifolium corms to have some interest in there in the autumn before the autumn tints come on the trees.
Cyclamen hederifolium
The ants help to spread the seed. Nature is wonderful in that it coats the seed with a sweet, sugary substance that the ants like.
Cyclamen hederifolium.
They carry the seed away from the mother plant, lick away all the stickiness and leave the seed where it then germinates and in three more years forms a flowering corm.
Cyclamen hederifolium
These are all seedlings that have come from seeds discarded by the ants, over the years the corms will increase flowering, having more flowers coming from each corm.
Cyclamen hederifolium.
I think that maybe I ought to give nature and the ants a helping hand.
Cyclame.n hederifolium
Seed pods are easy to find as the stalk curls back on itself like a spring, there is one just right of centre.
Cyclamen hederifolium.
If I sow lots of seed, then plant them out when big enough, in three years time……
Cyclamen hederifolium
maybe………
Cyclamen hederifolium.
I will have as many cyclamen as…………
Cyclamen hederifolium
Snowdrops!
Cyclamen hederifolium.
I could also add Colchicums which are flowering in different parts of the garden. So I think with just a bit of effort from the ants and myself, the woodland could have a similar look in September as it does in the spring,- what do you think?
I was going to publish this post tomorrow, but thought I would link it with
Gillian at Country Garden UK who is starting a weekly meme to show the plants that are the best in our gardens at the moment.
I didn’t know that cyclamen seeds had elaiosomes. Good to know! I’ve had great luck with the ants spreading my bloodroot, so they’d probably help me out if I planted cyclamen, too. Yours are looking very beautiful!
I’m sure your ants would spread your cyclamen seed Eliza, I have lots of new little plants coming on nicely, without any effort from me! As the drifts of flowers get larger, I think they look so pretty, carpeting the woodland floor.
Looks like I’ll be visiting nurseries this weekend for Asters (Eliza) and Cyclamen too! We have managed to multiply and spread Martagon Lilies about in our little wood so lets see if I can do it with these beautiful plants. Thanks for showing us your lovely garden.
I’m sure Gillian, that the cyclamen will spread nicely in your woodland if you have succeeded with martagon lilies. Doing a bit of tidying there today, I have found dozens of tiny cyclamen, too small to flower, but in a couple of years maybe we will have twice what we have now.
the three bulbs that seed about my garden with enthusiasm are red Lachenalia, white wild freesias, and tiny Melasphaerula which is determined to cover All The Places!
Cyclamen would be a nurtured pot plant for me.
These are tiny hardy cyclamen Diana, we also have cyclamen coum which flower in Jan/Feb/March. Larger cyclamen aren’t hardy and have to be in pots indoors here.
Thank you for stopping by my blog. I think the cyclamen is just beautiful along with your garden.
It’s a pleasure Patricia, I think the woodland floor looks so pretty at the moment sprinkled with all the pink and white flowers of the cyclamen.
Your posts always inspire me, Pauline! I don’t have a woodland floor, unfortunately, but wonder if I could have a go at growing some of these pretty cyclamen in my dry shady border (especially if I keep it more regularly watered!). Your drifts are so pretty.
I think the cyclamen would be fine in your shady border Caro, the woodland here is very dry in the summer with all the huge trees sucking up any available moisture. As the years go by, I like my plants in drifts more and more, I’d rather have lots of plants that are really happy in the conditions that I have, than have a few that are struggling.
your wood is beautiful in winter and now it is lovely in autumn too; when more shade has developed in my little woodland walk I will scavenge some cyclamen from the banks that line some of the country roads here, I’m sure they’s grow., meanwhile I can enjoy yours.
Thanks Christina, I hope that in a couple of years it will equal the spring display. Weeding out red campion that had seeded everywhere, I have found so many tiny little seedling plants which should be big enough to flower in 2 yrs. I’m afraid you would be in trouble if you scavenged wild flowers over here, they are all protected by law now, seeds are the answer!
It is against the law here too, but given that I will only take a few and maybe some seed and that the Italians don’t take any notice of them at all I might risk it!
I adore your woodland Pauline. Those ants are mighty friends to help you out in such a way.
Susie, I never thought that I would be so pleased to have ants in the garden, so long as they stay there and carry on working for me, that’s all I ask!
I knew ants were hard working, but I did not realize what good gardeners they were! Your cyclamen adds charm to your already enchanted woodland garden.
Deb, I had no idea that we had ants in the garden, until we had tiny cyclamen popping up in places where I know I have never planted any. We’ve never seen any evidence of them in the woodland, but something is moving the seeds around, long may it continue!
Don’t forget your fritilaria, you’ll have enough cyclamen to match your snowdrops, colchicums, and fritilaria! What a sight that will be 🙂
My cyclamen look a bit sparse growing up through leaf litter and wood mulch, I much prefer yours scattered about in the woodland amongst delicate ferns and moss with other greenery as well. Too bad it’s too dry here for the ferns… but maybe I can torture a few moss clumps by sitting them in with the cyclamen!
As I’m preparing the woodland Frank, for the snowdrops, by removing all the obvious weeds, I’m finding so many tiny cyclamen, hiding underneath them, so have to be very careful teasing the weeds out. These only have a couple of leaves so aren’t ready to flower yet, maybe in a year or twos time when the corm is a bit bigger I will have the desired drifts that I can visualise. Do you have ants spreading your seed Frank? I will try growing some cyclamen from seed this winter and see how many I can add to the woodland, I think the ants will do a better job than me!
I don’t know yet if our ants are as industrious as yours. For now all the seedlings I’ve found have been clumped around the mother plants but who knows what will show up in unexpected places in a few year’s time!
Maybe I have my ants well trained Frank! I think you might be in for a nice surprise in a few years time, I hope so anyway!
Lovely to see your woodland garden, thanks 🙂
Thank you Jill for leaving a message, I’m so glad you enjoyed the post about my cyclamen.
I live these little cyclamen so much. I give mine a good soaking and a bit of bonemeal in August and it really seems to get them going very well. I bet they look wonderful meandering round your woodland garden. Colchicums are a great idea for woodland too. I have quite a lot of them, but their leaves are such a nuisance in spring. It wouldn’ t matter in a woodland setting.
Mine just get a mulch of leafmould Chloris and they seem happy with that. I’ve been tidying up the woodland a bit, getting ready for the snowdrop season and have found so many tiny little corms with just leaves at the moment, hopefully they will all flower in a year or two and I will then have drifts of them!