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Non native blue bells

elainewinifredelainewinifred Posts: 1
in Problem solving
Hi, my front garden has a large patch of non native (European) Blue bells which are due to bloom very soon. I’m not sure what to do with them after they have flowered as I understand they are causing the decline of our native variety. Should I dig them up and take to the garden waste centre or do I keep them? Hope you can help.

Posts

  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    If you don't want them in your garden, or you want to control them, remove the flowers before they set seed and try to dig up the bulbs if you can.  They have a knack of getting deeper than you think and mixed up with the roots of other plants, plus they can get into inaccessible places!  Put them in your garden waste as normal.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    The demise of the English bluebell is much overstated.  But let's not drop our guard.  

    I take off the seedheads as soon as the Spanish ones have finished flowering.  I have had no Spanish seedlings appear.

    I also have a small clump of the hybrid, which I treat the same.  T hey predate my stewardship.  I believe that hybrids, like mules, are sterile.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I have some in the front garden. I think they are pretty so I don't try to dig them up. I deadhead them and they haven't spread but some people say they do spread - a lot.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
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