Scilla siberica 'Spring Beauty' planted in the Patio cracks & Rock Garden

Scilla siberica 'Spring Beauty', also known as Siberian or wood squill, blooming in our little rock garden.

Scilla siberica, also known as Siberian or wood squill, are a bright greeting in the springtime. These little bulbs, which bloom at 6 inches tall, have persisted very well in our garden for four years. They naturalize readily from their seed, and can carpet entire sections of woodland with time. Their name does not exactly identify their descent, as they are native to southern Russia and Turkey.

At Gilmore Gardens, we poked them into the cracks on our stone patio. They are fun to look forward to every spring as a bright blue contrast to the grey stones.

Also, I planted up a little rock garden under one of our mature maple tree. This mounded dry shade area was not much good for growing grass. I was inspired to try this rock garden after seeing a photo of an English garden that had large stones and an infilling of Scilla and Cyclamen.

Construction for the rock garden was simple: plenty of soil, humus and compost was mounded up, and then the stones were placed. Little common purple violets follow these scilla, and then I often plant it up with some white impatients for the summer months.  Ferns have not survived as well, probably from the lack of moisture and maybe from the tiny feet that run over this area.

Scilla siberica by the patio.

Scilla siberica in the patio.  Just a little poker can make a hole enough to tuck them into crevices on the ground or in walls.

My little garden girl doing her best to make her nose blue with the pollen :)

Scilla siberica popping up in March in our zone 5 garden. Their seedlings look like tiny chives or piece of grass until they mature. Do not pluck them out, least you cast off your reward!