Convallaria majalis 'Hardwick Hall'

Lily-of-the-Valley Asparagaceae

A Lily-of-the-Valley with considerably more ambition than the ordinary green sort. This distinctive old form was discovered growing at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, although its exact date of discovery is not recorded. It has been grown at the historic garden for generations and is now maintained as part of the plant heritage of the estate. 

The broad, glaucous-green leaves are edged irregularly in creamy yellow, giving an unusually handsome effect even when the famous flowers are absent. In spring, stout stems carry larger-than-usual, intensely fragrant white bells, followed by occasional glossy orange-red berries. It spreads by rhizomes to form a handsome colony, making excellent groundcover beneath trees and shrubs. Give it humus-rich, reasonably moist soil in shade or dappled shade, although it is surprisingly tolerant once established. And unlike many aristocrats of the woodland floor, it is perfectly happy to get on with things without demanding constant attention.

Flowering: April–May
Hardiness: H5, approximately –15 to –10°C
Height: 25–30cm
Spread: 30cm+, eventually forming spreading colonies
Origin: Discovered at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, England; date of discovery unknown.