Bleeding Hearts

Dicentra King of Hearts

• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Soil: moist, humus-rich rich, preferably neutral to slightly alkaline
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: May to November
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  This vibrant, compact variety of bleeding heart produces a profusion of deep crimson, heart-shaped flowers from late spring to early summer above feathery, grey-green leaves. Easy to grow, it looks fabulous planted in groups towards the front of a shady border. As long as the ground is kept moist, it will thrive in full sun or partial shade.
  
  

  Dicentras are northern hemisphere plants, growing from Asia to North America. In their natural habitat they are found in moist soils in the cool margins of woodlands.
  

• Garden care: Dicentras are happy in any good garden soil that is fertile but not too heavy. Enrich the soil with plenty of leaf mould before planting and apply a mulch in autumn, too. A light fertilising in March will help enormously. Lift and divide large clumps in late autumn when the leaves have died down, or in early spring before the new growth appears, taking care not to damage the fragile roots.