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Bluebells

drcatherinebakerdrcatherinebaker Posts: 15
in Plants
Hello All, I’m looking for some expert advice on bulbs as I’ve never planted them. I’ve prepped a semi-shady bed by digging, adding compost from my composter plus some slow release fertiliser as I plan to plant a mix of English and Spanish bluebells as a memorial to our family cat ‘Blue’ who passed this week. I really don’t want the bulbs to fail and wondered if there’s any top tips to ensure they bloom? Thanks 
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  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    edited September 2020
    Sorry about your cat but please don't plant Spanish bluebells. 
    If you mix the 2 you will only end up with the Spanish sort and they are pushing out our native species.
    I always found bluebells didn't need anything special to grow in fact they spread so much you get them everywhere. 
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=426
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    If you plant both you will never see the English ones.  The Spanish are huge horrible things that just drown out the small neat English ones. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    The Spanish ones also cross fertilise with the English and all seedlings will be the larger paler un-scented Spanish type, rather than the prettier and scented English native Hyacinthoides non scripta. 

    If you like you could also plant some  https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/chionodoxa-luciliae/... little blue bulbs which flower earlier in the spring and will extend your ‘blue season’.  The bluebells will grow up through them and not be affected. 
    😊 





    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Thinking outside the box a bit, a Ceratostigma willmottianum would look nice in that spot. It's a small shrub with blue flowers in autumn.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd agree - don't get the Spanish ones. Most people buy them in the green too, rather than as dry bulbs, as they tend to 'take' better.
    You could also try Harebells, which is really a Campanula [rotundifolia] and very easy from seed. They're known as Scottish bluebells, and flower in summer. Lovely little plant  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited September 2020
    And of course there’s always the lovely blue haze of Forget-me-nots ... Myosotis ... just sprinkle the seed and they’ll grow without you having to do anything more, then pull them up when they’ve finished flowering ... they’ll have scattered enough seed to reappear the following year 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • drcatherinebakerdrcatherinebaker Posts: 15
    Thank you so much everyone. I have enough on order to put the English ones in the borders shown and I can put the Spanish ones out the front where they will be a long way apart. Thanks for the other suggestions, I’ll look them all up! Looking forward to seeing a blue display in the spring 😊
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited September 2020
    Bless you I know you have the best intentions, but bees will travel from your front garden to the back garden carrying Spanish bluebell pollen. 😔 
    https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-spanish-bluebell-is-on-the-loose-in-britains-woods-8581493.html
    Many of us are pulling all the Spanish bluebells out of our gardens to prevent the contamination of the ancient bluebell woodlands. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • drcatherinebakerdrcatherinebaker Posts: 15
    Of course, how dumb of me. Sounds like I just need to dispose of the Spanish ones. If they are so terrible, why are reputable suppliers still selling them?
    Someone kindly recommended a native Turkish plant that also appears to be problematic ‘Glory of the snow’ - any thoughts on it? 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That's the Chionodoxa that @Dovefromabove mentioned. 
    I haven't heard of that being a problem, but perhaps in certain conditions. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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