Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd
Wallflower Ivory White
Wallflower Ivory White
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Wallflower 'Ivory White' Seeds
While traditional wallflowers are known for their fiery oranges and yellows, 'Ivory White' brings a cool, elegant calm to the border. It produces dense spikes of creamy-white flowers that look almost like stocks, set against lush, dark green foliage.
This variety is prized for its scent. It carries a rich, sweet perfume with notes of honey and primrose that lingers in the cool spring air. It is the perfect plant for lightening up a dark corner or creating a "White Garden" display early in the year, bridging the gap between winter and summer with effortless style.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Wallflowers are classic Biennials.
They operate on a two-year schedule. You sow them in late spring/summer of Year 1, they grow leaves through autumn, and then bloom the following spring (Year 2).
The Routine: Sow seeds in summer. They grow into small leafy bushes by autumn. You plant them in their final flowering position in October (planting them firmly). They survive the winter and bloom spectacularly the following spring.
Top Tip: Pinch out the growing tip! When the young plants are about 10-15cm tall in late summer, nip off the top. This forces them to bush out and produce multiple flower spikes instead of just one central stem.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
Wallflowers are best raised in a "nursery bed" outdoors before moving to their final spot.
Germination:
Sow outdoors from May to July. Scatter seeds thinly into a prepared seedbed or pots outdoors. Cover very lightly (5mm deep). Keep moist. Germination is reliable and takes 14-21 days.
Where to Sow:
They thrive in full sun. They prefer soil that is slightly alkaline (they love lime/chalk) and well-drained. They hate acidic, boggy conditions.
Care While Growing:
The Autumn Move: In October, dig up your young wallflower plants from their nursery bed (or empty your pots) and plant them into borders or containers for their winter home. Plant them deeply and firmly to ensure they don't rock in the winter wind.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Erysimum cheiri |
| Common Name | Wallflower 'Ivory White' |
| Hardiness | H5 (Hardy Biennial) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 40cm - 45cm |
| Spread | ↔️ 30cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 30cm apart |
| Great for | ⚪ White Gardens 👃 Powerful Scent 🐝 Early Pollinators 💐 Cut Flowers |
| Seed Count | Approx. 50 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
White Wallflowers are neutral, so they make other colours pop. Here are the best spring pairings:
- 🌷 Tulips (Pink or White): The classic partner. Interplant your Wallflowers with pink tulips (like 'Angelique') or white tulips. The Wallflowers provide a scented carpet that hides the soil and supports the tall tulip stems.
- ☁️ Forget-me-not 'White': A fresh understory. The low-growing, frothy white Forget-me-nots act as a neutral base that allows the creamy tones of the 'Ivory White' to shine without looking stark.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow in summer. Plant out in autumn. Flowers the following spring.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Outdoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | |||||||||
| Plant Out | 🌱 | 🌱 | ||||||||||
| Flowers (Yr 2) | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
Wallflowers are one of the most important plants for early pollinators. They are listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list as a critical nectar source for queen bumblebees in spring.
