Ranunculus

Ranunculus is a genus of about 600 species of plants which include buttercups. They generally have bowl-shaped flowers that are either white or yellow in colour, and leaves that are lobed or have serrated edges. Ranunculus is a latin word meaning little frog. Plants of this genus are generally perennials, although there are some annual and biennial species too. They love a sunny spot in the garden and generally prefer moist, neutral or acidic soil.

Batchelor’s Buttons

Another example of a garden plant that can bring a country meadow to your door step, the Ranunculus aconitifolius is ideal as ground cover, especially for slopes and embankments that might otherwise look drab and lifeless. Commonly known as the Batchelor’s Button, in spring and summer, it sports milk-white saucer-shaped flowers on long stems. Its dark green foliage grows in thick clumps and can carpet large areas quite quickly, especially in moist soil and in sheltered areas.

Tall buttercup

With its eye-catching lobed leaves, slender branched stem and lustrous bright-yellow flowers shaped like saucers, ranunculus acris or meadow buttercup is sure to bring a smile to garden visitors’ faces. This pretty plant likes full sunlight and partial shade and will grow in most kinds of soil but prefers them to be moist or even wet, making it a sunny choice for growing near a stream or a pond. Meadow buttercup does not require a lot of maintenance and, as the name suggests, is an ideal choice for a wildflower garden or alternatively a charming addition to a wildlife garden.

Common water-crowfoot

If you have a water feature in your garden that is either manmade or natural such as a stream or pond, one way to draw attention to it is by growing attractive plants around it. However, one of the best ways to highlight such a feature is to grow plants within it, one such plant being the eye-catching ranunculus aquatilis or common water crowfoot. A beautiful oxygenator plant that produces underwater leaves as well as broad and flat floater leaves, common water crowfoot features gorgeous white flowers with yellow centres, which are held above the water on stems and act as a brilliant means of attracting people to the location in which they are grown. Grow this plant within water in a basket that contains loamy or clay soil. It accommodates full sunlight and partial shade and won’t fail to make your water feature a real standout attraction.

Persian buttercup

Incredibly glamorous and available in a range of beautiful colours such as red, white, pink and yellow, ranunculus asiaticus or Persian buttercup could easily serve as the movie star of the plant world. Putting on a dazzling display with its stunning blooms, which can be double, semi-double or single flowers, Persian buttercup produces hairy lobed leaves and supports the flowers on hairy stems. Best grown where it will receive full sunlight, Persian buttercup likes sandy and loamy soils that have good drainage and is a star attraction in a flower bed. It will draw many fans to view it within a border, and garden visitors will be lining up to get a glimpse of this beauty if grown in a container within a courtyard garden or an outdoor seating space.

Lesser Celandine

The Ranunculus ficaria is guaranteed to bring a new freshness to any garden. Also known as the Lesser Celandine, its dark green heart-shaped leaves are glossy to the eye, and its love of moist soil makes it ideal for planting close to water features or garden brooks. Its flowers are usually yellow, but can also be red, white or green depending on the variant, and have between 8 and 12 starry petals. An extremely fast grower, it can quickly cover a generous area of garden, so it’s a great option for the informal-style garden.

Lesser Celandine 'Brazen Hussy'

Lesser spearwort

If the boggy or wet areas of your garden are looking dejected, take up arms with ranunculus flammula or lesser spearwort and fight to make these areas not just attractive but prime features in your garden design. Lesser spearwort is suitable for growing in water at the edges of ponds as well as within bog gardens. The leaves are shaped like spears and yellow saucer-shaped flowers bloom in summer. Lesser spearwort is suitable for most soils that are very moist or wet and can be grown in water if placed in a basket. This plant grows in partial shade and full sunlight and brings a wild and appealing charm to a garden design that will win people over in no time.

Greater spearwort

If the boggy or wet areas of your garden are putting a dampener on your spirits then get them under control by taking the fight to them with ranunculus lingua or greater spearwort. This beautiful aquatic plant has lance-shaped leaves, branching stems and bright yellow bowl-shaped flowers that will spruce up a bedraggled-looking bog garden or turn a pond that you’re not quite sure what to do with into an enticing feature. Greater spearwort is very well suited to loamy, clay or sandy soil that has poor drainage and it can be grown either in wet soil or in water that is either slow-moving or still. This pretty plant tolerates partial shade and full sunlight and will have you forgetting that you ever wallowed in despair over your outdoor wet areas.