Bluebells?

Shirley Kennedy

Hi everyone just watching a gardening programme that I recorded with Charlie dimmock and the garden she is visiting has a beautiful bed brimming with bluebells and daffs......I have a few little snowdrops and daffodils is it too late for me to try out in some bluebells? Xxxx

Dovefromabove

Buy some 'in the green' in late May and plant them then - you'll have a beautiful garden next year

Shirley Kennedy

It was beautiful the yellow and blue colours and the difference in height. Since I'm a newbie and most advice is to leave alone this year and watch what I have would it be ok to do this or could I disturb and ruin what is already there? Is it possible to over town and kill stuff in a border?

Fairygirl

If you mark the areas just now which have no snowdrops or daffs, you'll see where you can  plant the bluebells Shirley. The daff foliage will probably still be there by the time you them anyway though. 

You should start seeing signs of perennials or summer flowering bulbs coming through by now. In another month or so, you'll see gaps which you can then mark for more bluebells if you fancy them. Bear in mind that some perennials and shrubs will spread to cover a big area, but underplanting with bluebells should be fine unless the perennials are very early as well, and won't allow you to see them. For those areas you could put in earlier bulbs if you like.  

Invicta2

Shirley

Please make sure you get English bluebells and not Spanish ones which are becoming a pest in the wild in this country.

Guernsey Donkey2

There is a beautiful bluebell wood on the cliffs here - used to be a carpet of blue under the trees - very popular to visitors - now it is slowly being invaded by "stinking onion" white flower, some dedicated people are trying to eradicate the invasive plant. We have bluebells popping up all over our garden - I am not too keen on them myself.

Fairygirl

GD - I have to admit that I'm not a bluebell lover either  

I think they need the right setting - a big wood and en masse. Hopefully Shirley will get the right ones Invicta  

I prefer the delicate little harebells in summer 

 

Guernsey Donkey2

Oh those are pretty Fairygirl - much more delicate than bluebells - I find bluebells almost impossible to dig out if you need to remove them - the leaves come out easily enough but the bulbs spread so easily and you end up with all these tiny little white bulbs that increase year on year. However, as you say they do look lovely in a wooded area and certainly attract people look at them.

Fairygirl

It's funny GD - they're just delightful, but I've never thought of trying to grow them in the garden.   That pic was from a (rather special) walk last year on my way to a hill. They're everywhere on our hills up here in mid to late summer.  I had a look to see if they're available by seed and found a wildflower that supplies plugs, so perhaps...... 

Guernsey Donkey2

Yes, if you like them enough then try growing them in your garden Fairygirl - the obviously like your type of soil and climate - I have never seen them growing here - our air may be too salty for them - they look so delicate.

jacquiA

As a child,  I use to live just around the corner from woodland called Castle Woods which was filled with bluebells and looked like a sea of beautiful blue. It was just stunning. Its a long time since I have seen such a lovely sight of bluebells in such mass. I have a few clusters but without the number and spread, there isn't the same impact of that wonderful blue hue. I second that Invicta2 - English bluebells.