Eranthis cilicica (Winter Aconite) 8 bulbs

One of the very first flowers to appear each year, Eranthis cilicica lights up the garden with cheerful, buttercup-yellow blooms from midwinter into early spring, often pushing up through a light covering of snow. Each cup-shaped flower sits above a distinctive ruff of finely divided, bronze-green bracts, creating a charming carpet of gold at a time when little else is in flower. It's a wonderful choice for underplanting deciduous shrubs and trees, or for naturalising along paths and in rock gardens.

Reaching just 8-10cm in height and spread, this tiny tuber is best planted in early autumn, 5cm deep, in moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. Soaking the tubers overnight before planting helps kick-start growth, as they can be prone to drying out. Left undisturbed, they will slowly spread and naturalise into cheerful drifts over the years.