With spring in full swing, gardeners nationwide will be ramping up their efforts to ensure their gardens look their best in the coming weeks.
Britons have been advised to consider planting ground covers to create a balanced environment as plants come into bloom.
Ground covers make excellent additions to the garden, as they suppress weeds and act like mulch, helping to retain soil moisture and nutrients.
Gardening experts recently discussed their favourite ground covers on the Middle Sized Garden YouTube channel, explaining why brunnera macrophylla is a top pick.
Ground covers can support soil moisture retention and erosion control
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Plant expert Tim Ingram labelled the plant “the best spring ground covers".
He shared: “The foremost one would probably be brunnera macrophylla.
"The perennial forget-me-not, which is very vigorous and seeds around very freely.
“It flowers for months and may, and it may flower from mid-March, through to the middle of May.
“It goes right through Spring and merges with all the other plants that have come and gone over that period of time.
“It just follows along from the snowdrops and early things like the hellebores.”
March is generally considered an ideal month to plant ground covers like hardy perennials because it allows the plants to establish roots before the summer heat settles in.
Gardeners should only proceed once they are sure the soil isn't waterlogged or frozen, however.
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The plant does best in moderately fertile soil
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The RHS describes Brunnera macrophylla as a deciduous perennial with large, heart-shaped silver leaves, edged and veined with green.
Benefits of planting the ground cover include soil moisture retention and erosion control, making it a valuable addition to low-maintenance gardening.
"Sprays of small blue flowers appear in the spring," the gardening body notes.
It also highlights that the plant thrives in moderately fertile, humus-rich soil that is moist but well-drained.
