Convallaria majalis var rosea

Rosy Lily-of-the-Valley Asparagaceae

Lily-of-the-Valley after discovering that white is not the only colour in the paintbox. This delightful natural variation produces the familiar elegant, sweetly scented bells, but in a soft blush to pale mauve-pink that gives the woodland floor a rather more romantic complexion. The flowers appear in April and May above broad, fresh green leaves, followed by the characteristic red berries. 

A rhizomatous perennial from Central and Eastern Europe, it is every bit as tough and accommodating as its white-flowered relative, forming spreading colonies in fertile, moisture-retentive soil in shade or dappled shade. An excellent groundcover beneath trees and shrubs, and particularly good where the usual white Lily-of-the-Valley seems just a little too predictable. H7 rated and thoroughly unfussy, it is one of those plants that combines considerable charm with the rather alarming ability to stay put for decades. Note that all parts are poisonous if eaten. 

Flowering: April–May
Hardiness: H7, below –20°C
Height: 20cm
Spread: 30cm+, eventually forming colonies
Origin: Central and Eastern Europe; pink-flowered botanical variety