Spring Cyclamen

Way back in 2003 when this lovely place first became ours, we planted half a dozen corms of each of two species of cyclamen under the lime tree. Cyclamen hederifolium, the ivy-leaved cyclamen known in Britain as sowbread, flowers in vast pink drifts in many gardens here every autumn. This has settled in nicely and is spreading. The other species, cyclamen coum, flowers in spring and I thought we had lost it, as there was never any sign of it. Last week a little pink whirlygig showed itself among the ivy and dead leaves - one brave cyclamen coum flower!

Cyclamen Coum amid the ivy leaves

The leaves look very unhealthy, as you can see from the photo (bottom left and top right). This may be down to the cold - unusual to find temperatures below -20 in its native Eastern Mediterranean, I suspect.