I am located in "balmy" Cornwall and my coum are in flower right now, peeking through the thin layer of snow. The ground has been frozen for the last few days and they are looking fine. I also have hederofolium which seed them selves in nooks and crannies in stone walls and in gravel paths with no help from me so both seem to be very tough.
I reckon Coum has the best flowers and Hederifolium the best leaves. Hederifolium is more robust than Coum and will elbow it out eventually apparently. Both are doing well here even at minus 7c last night. Tough once established. Try and get forms in the green after they flower. They settle better than dry firms although both do ok eventually. B&q here currently have nice Coum for £3 for a 12cm pot. I bought some bedraggled ones at end of last season for 50p each and they are great this year. The ones in the image below are from dry firms in only their second winter so not bad.
Thanks Shane. If I get the chance to get some in the green I will. -20 here last night so the thought of anything flowering right now seems like a distant dream!
Our previous garden was in a frost pocket (-8c in the greenhouse under the bubble plastic) and we had frost every month of the year except August. Both hederifolium and coum thrived to the extent that they became lawn weeds and spread into the verge outside the property.
Don't worry too much about snow cover @Henatron - that won't bother them as it insulates. In an average winter where you are, they will be fine. Aviemore is generally around 4 to 5 degrees colder than where I am, but it's the amount of time ground is frozen and air temps are cold that makes the difference in how plants grow. You may lose the odd thing in more severe winters, but it's when ground is wet, then freezing, that most damage is done to plants. If you have some reasonably well draining soil for them , they will be fine. Good luck with them
Where was your little pic taken? Looks like Cairngorm - round the Fiacaill Buttress?
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Indeed @Henatron - it was brisk enough here , never mind on the plateau there Hopefully we might get a chance to get on some hills this year.
Enjoy your cyclamen - I should have said that the nursery I mentioned would give you good advice re planting conditions too. If you're in doubt about any plants, take a look at what thrives in the surrounding area as well. That's generally a good indicator, and most folk will be happy to give you names/varieties etc. It'll all be a bit more challenging where you are, but that can also be more satisfying when plants thrive
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Henatron 😊 we have loads of white Cyclamen hederifolium here ... if you’d like some seed send me your address via PM and as soon as the snow is off my shady bank I’ll pop some in the post to you. They’ll be flowering in a 2 or 3 years max.
😊
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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Thanks Shane. If I get the chance to get some in the green I will. -20 here last night so the thought of anything flowering right now seems like a distant dream!
Lots of variety and coilspring seed pods 👍
You may lose the odd thing in more severe winters, but it's when ground is wet, then freezing, that most damage is done to plants. If you have some reasonably well draining soil for them , they will be fine. Good luck with them
Where was your little pic taken? Looks like Cairngorm - round the Fiacaill Buttress?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hopefully we might get a chance to get on some hills this year.
Enjoy your cyclamen - I should have said that the nursery I mentioned would give you good advice re planting conditions too.
If you're in doubt about any plants, take a look at what thrives in the surrounding area as well. That's generally a good indicator, and most folk will be happy to give you names/varieties etc. It'll all be a bit more challenging where you are, but that can also be more satisfying when plants thrive
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.