RANUNCULUS CALANDRINIODES

When you look at my picture of Ranunculus calandriniodes, it's easy to believe that you are looking at some kind of peony and that the flowers are massive.  Not so.  This fabulous flower with its delicate white-pink petals and striking gold stamens belongs to the buttercup family and only grows to about 20cm x 20cm (8" x 8").  It was March, 2014, when I took the photograph. 

Ranunculus calandriniodes of Atlas Mountains, N. Africa

Ranunculus calandriniodes originated in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa.  According to the Royal Horticultural Society Gardeners' Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers (1989), page 300, it's 'a clump-forming perennial that loses its long, oval, blue-green leaves in summer; in a reasonable winter it will bear a succession of cup-shaped, pink-flushed, white flowers for many weeks.  Needs very sharp drainage.'  It prefers sun, well-drained soil, and is fully hardy down to -15C.