GINA PARKINSON offers advice on the hardy, mainly evergreen Bergenia

I VISITED my sister this week and noticed her bergenias were full of flower. Sadly, I have had little luck with this plant and my two specimens have yet to flower, despite being more than three years old.

They grow in a partially shaded spot where they get the afternoon sun and generally have a good crop of leaves, although they suffer from the attentions of slugs. However, February is quite early for bergenias to flower, their blooming period is usually between March and May, so I remain optimistic that mine will prove their worth this year.

Bergenia is a hardy, mainly evergreen plant with large, shiny, leathery leaves that can grow up to 25cm across, hence the common name Elephant's Ear. It is often used for weed-smothering ground cover under trees and shrubs, where it will spread from shallow-rooting rhizomes in sun or partial shade, with best leaf colour usually achieved in poor soil and full sun.

The most popular species is Bergenia cordifolia with rounded crinkle-edged leaves and racemes of light pink flowers. The variety B.cordifolia 'Purpurea' has purple-tinged leaves in winter, followed by red-stemmed dark pink flowers in spring.

Other species include Bergenia ciliata with large, rounded, hairy leaves and clusters of white flowers that age to pink and Bergenia crassifolia with spoon-shaped leaves tinted mahogany in winter and mauve-pink flowers.

Hybrids are also worth considering since the process of breeding from species can often result in better flowers and foliage and hardier plants.

Bergenia hybrids include several from Bressingham's - light pink Bressingham Bountiful and Bressingham Ruby, Bressingham Salmon and Bressingham White each named for the colour of their flowers. Bergenia Silberlicht is free-flowering with white flowers and 'Sunningdale' has deep green shiny leaves with mahogany undersides and red stemmed pink flowers.

PLANTING DETAILS

SITE. Sun or partial shade.

SOIL. Any well-drained soil, dislikes being waterlogged.

PROPAGATION. Divide overcrowded clumps in autumn or after flowering. Cut off all the healthy young rhizomes and discard the rest. Trim the cut pieces just below a cluster of roots making each one 5-8cm long with at least two buds. Remove any rotten stem, dead leaves or stumps and replant about 30cm apart.

Updated: 09:04 Saturday, February 16, 2002