This our native wood anemone. This pretty, understated flower is a delightful sight in spring woodlands. Usually it has white flowers, but there are also cultivated forms in many shades, blue, yellow, pink, and some double-flowered ones too. A low-growing plant, gradually making a mat, it is ideal for ground cover in shady areas or woodland gardens. Included in this group are some other wood anemones,

Anemone (Anemonoides) nemorosa 'Royal Blue' has flowers that are a good rich blue, deeper than sky blue but by no means as dark as royal blue. They are a little smaller than in some varieties, but the quality of the flower colour, set against the deep green leaves, more than makes up for size.