Bergenia, with their leathery leaves, are among the first of the hardy perennials to flower in the year. You may notice the buds in late winter, awaiting the right time to grow away. Depending on the year, and the variety, flowers may start as early as late January, and last until late April. The flower stems of Bergenia are strong and are topped with heads of white, pink, magenta and crimson flowers.

It is the sizeable, rounded, tough leaves of these plants that has resulted in the common name of elephant-eared saxifrage. And it’s these leaves that many people like most: some varieties take on attractive autumn tints, while others are particularly useful, having rich mahogany red foliage throughout the winter, turning green in spring.

Bergenias are good weed-suppressing ground cover plants, and are best left undisturbed until they eventually become overcrowded.

Bergenias are happy in most soils, as long as they do not become too dry in summer. To keep plants looking good, remove any dead leaves when you see them. A top-dressing or mulch of well-rotted compost applied immediately after planting, will help to get them off to the best possible start.