I had daffodils of all sorts in my garden in Kent in clay, then in my last garden in SW France in clay. The only problem was in France if the spring had been warm and dry it affected the flowering the following year. Wet springs were no problem. I have a new French house with clay soil since Jan 2021 and I planted 350 daffodils and narcissi. I dug holes in the grass and put a mix of sand and compost under the bulbs. All the bulbs came up and flowered except the ones the handyman mowed by mistake when I was in the UK Grrrr!
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
So many great ideas and suggestions here - thank you! I will research them all and no doubt find something (Camassias at least!) that will work and maybe just buy small packs this year to see what happens - though patience is not my best virtue. I have read much about gardening on clay soil and sometimes gone against advice with good results, sometimes not, so like with life generally it is probably a case of just trying your best and accepting the outcome!
I agree with buying some cheaper bulbs and seeing how they go. I recently moved to a heavy clay soil. Without thinking last year, I planted these in the clay, behind a thick hedge with no additional sand/manure etc. The area only gets maybe 1-2hrs of sunshine in the mornings in spring. These were cheapy bulbs from lidl!
Lots of great advice as always! I found the smaller Camassias and will try them plus some cheapo bulbs from Homebase or elsewhere as dont have Lidl. Sarah Raven also says she has clay and most bulbs do OK as long as planted deep enough with some grit and/or compost to improve draining, so wish me luck!!
I have chionodoxa sardensis in clay soil. It only gross to a max 20 cm in height. I also have daffs in clay soil and deep shade, they flower at the end of May but they do flower. If you think you haven't got good drainage in your lawn you could sit the bulb on a little bed of grit so that the base isn't in contact with wet soil.
P. Nyssen stocks the smaller camassias [I'd forgotten there was a smaller one] but they all take ages to die back. That would be the main reason I wouldn't put them in a lawn. You'll be avoiding foliage for many, many weeks if you want to cut the lawn, especially as they don't flower until May or June. Better for a border or a damp meadow style area.
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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I also have daffs in clay soil and deep shade, they flower at the end of May but they do flower.
If you think you haven't got good drainage in your lawn you could sit the bulb on a little bed of grit so that the base isn't in contact with wet soil.
Luxembourg
That would be the main reason I wouldn't put them in a lawn. You'll be avoiding foliage for many, many weeks if you want to cut the lawn, especially as they don't flower until May or June. Better for a border or a damp meadow style area.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...