Chionodoxa luciliae

Glory of the snow, Chionodoxa, is one of the first bulbs to flower in spring and, when planted generously, forms a dazzling carpet of flowers. Chionodoxa luciliae has blue, star-shaped blooms with a paler centre. It's a great choice for naturalising in lawns, particularly beneath trees, where they can flower in full sun before the tree leaf canopy develops, creating shade.

For best results plant Chionodoxa luciliae in well-drained soil in spring sunshine. Avoid mowing or cutting back plants until the foliage has died down, to enable them to self-seed.