Brunnera Macrophylla Sea Heart
It looks like Jack Frost, closer inspection of Brunnera Macrophylla Sea Heart side by side may reveal subtle differences.
Performance in our Fife garden
In late March last year, I planted three of these Brunnera Macrophylla Sea Heart. Being North East facing the back garden seemed the best area for this woodlander.
Early April the flowers started to show and bloomed profusely, not just in Spring but right through the Summer with regular removal of spent stems.
I don’t know what it is but every perennial plant in our Fife garden flowers for a much longer period than that stated by the grower. Perhaps its the soil and once the nutrients diminish I will have a different story to tell.
This Spring, flowers were showing in late March smothering the plants in April/May.
Myra has a preference for Jack Frost, I am going with Sea Heart.
Plant details
Striking silver heart-shaped leaves veined green. The blue forget me not like flowers are more than an added bonus.
Blooms profusely in April/May continuing much longer with the removal of spent stems.
This woodlander grows best of all in semi-shade and will also perform pretty well in deeper shade. Actually here in Scotland, it doesn’t seem to object to full sun.
• Hardiness – fully hardy perennial
• Height – 30/45cm – 12/18 inches
• Propagation – if outgrowing the position, divide clumps in Spring (seeds are sterile)
• Position – best in part shade, copes well enough with full sun due to the thicker leaves of this variety
• Common name – Siberian bugloss
• Soil – any reasonable free draining soil is fine, prefers it moist (free draining doesn’t mean dry)
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Our Fife back garden in early June
Purdee is now fifteen years old, she ain’t half spoiled.
Everywhere you have been you have created a lovely garden! I love Brunnera, but our climate is a bit too hot for it. As for your cat, I would say she is 100% spoiled!
Alistair your garden looks lovely and I see you still spoil your cat. Nice looking back at your Aberdeen garde. I loved your garden there, it was so special.
That’s my kind of cat – friends with birds instead of eating them!
Hi Sunil, 18 months since we moved, time does fly. The tidy garden is messed up a little after the recent storm.
Hello Alistair, that’s quite a large seat for one cat. I guess she doesn’t share? Your garden is looking immaculate – as always. It’s bee such a huge transformation in such a short time. It wasn’t all that long ago when I was reading post about you moving back to Scotland.
Pam?
Sea Heart is another plant we have in common, Alistair. I have Jack Frost, too. Your back garden is so neat and tidy compared with my wild, cottage garden. I love it. P. x
No problem Joy, look forward to your next post
Alistair .. I can’t seem to edit that comment you were talking about .. and I can’t delete it without dragging everyone else out with it, it was one large comment to everyone .. sorry about that .. can you just ignore it for now .. no worries about any future references though .. I understand !
I am not big on politically correct Joy. Tomorrow Trump will be saying what a great guy Trudeau is.
Hello again Alistair and Nadezda .. Well this has been a bit of a smile eh ? .. different countries, different names .. but same plant ? haha .. now maybe Canada is sort of the “in the middle” country trying to accommodate everyone one’s take on plant names ? .. we are just too polite (given what has happened lately in politics that may not be a good thing any more ?) .. another kind of giggle ?
Alistair if this is politically incorrect .. don’t worry about not publishing this 😉
Hi Nadezda, I have often found that plants in the USA have different names from those in the UK. Father and Jack same meaning, hmmm!
Hi, Alistair and Joy!
I checked the Brunnera’s variety name and found out that Alistair is right, The original name is ‘Jack Frost ‘ that was translated in Russian as ‘Father Frost’ that actually means the same. This’s interesting!
Hello Joy, I was thinking Father frost may well be Jack Frost, given another name in Nadezda’s part of the world.
I am trying harder to make our courtyard garden more wild and wonderful, I will let you see it at its worst at some time.
Our new garden doesn’t have any slugs. I guess they will find us soon enough.
I have Jack Frost but sadly the slugs get it every year so it ends up looking very tatty. I will have to remove it I think which is an awful shame. Perhaps (thinking aloud) move it into the woodland first to see if a relocation will help the cause.
Hello there Alistair !
Your garden is so neat and tidy it is remarkable .. if you stepped into mine your head might explode ? LOL
I’m more of a “let loose and wild” kind of gal ? haha .. Brunnera is a favorite of mine .. I used to have “Silver Lining” which you can NOT find any more .. mine got trampled, some how and never recovered, which really got to me but things happen in the garden that you can’t control right ?
This one has lovely deep blue flowers .. very pretty ! I might just have to have one of these now that you have tempted me.
I am also curious about Nadezda’s Father Frost .. I haven’t heard of that one.
It is always great to hear from other gardeners about plant varieties you haven’t heard of.
Purdee is BEAUTIFUL ! .. I am a cat woman and dearly love my Sophie who is 13 this year and also totally spoiled as well .. they are meant to be 😉
Hi Nadezda, Father Frost, I will have to check this one out.
Dear Alistair,
I love Brunnera as well, its flowers remind forget-me-not, but leaves are prettier. I have variety Father Frost, it’s hardy one.
I am amazed looking at your garden, it’s ideal one. I think the artificial lawn you have is the right decision. No mow, no weeds, no cut grass, no problem at all. I also love how you places the plants, your urns and tubs.
Hi catmint, even the birds come to the feeder when purdee sits under it.
I’ve never seen that plant (not going to take sides re the name) with blue flowers. Lovely. Purdee looks very contented and placid, as I guess you’d expect an old lady(?) to be. If I had to have grass I’d choose fake, but I got rid of it all instead.
No fooling you Maureen, to my shame, it is fake.
That is a very posh catsit! With attentive service.
Your grass looks amazing or is it something else?