by Leslie Cox; Wednesday; October 16, 2019

Bergenia cordifoliaThe bergenia looks stunning right now in the garden. Some of its glossy green leaves are starting to turn bright red. Add a little snow and it would be a great Christmas display. What am I saying?! Delete the snow part…at least until Dec. 25.

I do so like bergenias. With a squeaky waxy texture to their leaves you can appreciate the plant’s common name of pig’s squeak. Another common name for bergenia is elephant’s ears.

They are an evergreen plant, keeping their leaves throughout the winter. (Thankfully! Something to look at in the winter garden!) Being substantially thick, the leaves stand up well to snow unless it is especially wet and heavy.

Come spring the leaves do look a little tattered but I just cut out the worst of them out…making room for the new growth. And by not cutting them all off at once, I have some lovely green, tinged with red, for early spring colour in the garden.