Winter's early risers: Bursts of colour are on their way - and it's not too late to create your own vivid show There is something special about the first flowers of the year, when the surrounding garden is still brown and bare.
Its flowers are usually lilac blue, although there are also pale pink varieties such as Rose Queen and Pink Giant.
Also in this genus is the Siberian squill (Scilla siberica), which is a little taller at around 20cm, with blue nodding flowers.
Late winter bulbs tend to be smaller and less showy than those that follow in the spring, but they are all the lovelier for it.
Scilla 'Tubergeniana' has paler blue flowers, with a faint darker line down the centre of each petal.
