Other Bulbs
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AMARYLLIS
Spectacular indoor pot plants for the winter months.
These are supplied as giant-size 30/32cm bulbs. Pot them up with good quality compost to only half way up the bulb, and pack well around the roots. Top up with some bulb fibre and hide away in a dark, warm spot, watering little and often until a flower bud appears. They can then be moved into pride of place in a well-lit position, to see the magnificent results appear within a few weeks.
ANEMONE
There is sure to be a type of Anemone to suit your garden. Take a walk through any woodland in spring and you are likely to stumble across Anemone Nemerosa, also called the ‘Wood Anemone’ scattered amongst the trees in the dappled sunlight. These are supplied as rhizomes – a type of sprouting root – and prefer a cooler, shadier spot.
Anemone Blanda, known as ‘windflower’ will open wide with the strength of the sun in your borders, and will be happy to rest there all summer. Arriving as corms – an underground stem – a good soak overnight before planting is required. For cut flowers, the vividly coloured Anemone De Caen is very popular.
CAMASSIA
These starry flowers come from North America. They will look beautiful in your flowerbeds through May and June, but are equally tall and proud naturalising among grass. Make sure not to mow them until July, when all trace of the Camassia has disappeared. This hardy bulb will grow happily in heavy or even clay soils. We suggest planting amongst Pheasant Eye Narcissus (N.Poeticus-Recurvis): this makes a fantastic display and they enjoy the same conditions too.
CHIONODOXA
Growing these dainty, star-shaped flowers is child’s play. Adapting to any soil and suitable for any area of your garden or pots they will re-appear year after year in early spring. Planting in large groups will give a bright display to gaps in borders. Chionodoxa are a most useful but very cost-effective plant.
COLCHICUM
Their name comes from the ancient kingdom of Colchis, where the first plants are said to have sprung from a potion brewed from the king of Colchis’ daughter, Medea to restore youth. Surprisingly, the colchicum is not related to its look-alike, the crocus.
Colchicum flowers in the autumn without any foliage. For this reason they are commonly known as ‘naked ladies’! They will then produce large glossy leaves in the spring.
For a good display, plant the bulbs to naturalise in a sunny position with well-drained soil. If after 3-4 years they begin to overcrowd, split the clump in late summer.
CYCLAMEN
No garden should be without some hardy cyclamen. These tubers come in different varieties that will present their heads or marbled foliage in any season. Plant Cyclamen Coum for blooms in early spring, or try Cyclamen Hederifolium for autumn colour. It’s an exquisite plant suitable for rock gardens, pots or carpeting under trees.
DRANUNCULUS (The Dragon Arum)
Plant in a warm sunny spot in rich soil and watch this unusual, exotic looking flower – related to the Arum family – unfurl. The long deep purple spadix will begin to appear as a proud spike in mid-May, and will finally reveal its flowering glory with a height up to 28 inches tall. These unabashed show-offs are a real talking point for your garden!
ERANTHIS (Winter Aconite)
A good partner to the snowdrop, Eranthis thrive in woodland and rocky areas. When so much of the garden is bare, these cheery, yellow buttercup-like flowers appear early on, closely followed by the snowdrop.
Bought as tubers, it’s best to soak them for 24 hours before planting. Another good way to establish them is to buy ‘in the green’, lifted and sent out in clumps as young plants during and after flowering. This method is available from us in February and March.
EREMURUS (Foxtail Lily)
This is a large, hardy plant that’s commonly known as the ‘Foxtail Lily’. Eremurus produces a stately stem, displaying upright spikes of starry flowers, shoulder-high and above.
A little care is needed in planting. Ensure you provide a spot with good drainage in a sunny border, sheltered from the wind. Follow this simple rule and you will be delighted with the reward. Eremurus can also be used to add to spectacular cut flower display.
ERYTHRONIUM (Dog’s Tooth Violet)
These graceful plants love woodland, or a wild setting. Humus-rich, well-drained soils suit these dainty spring flowers best.
Erythronium bulbs are best planted upon arrival, with their pointed end uppermost – get them in quick, because they don’t like being dried out. All varieties have fascinating leaves and make good company with such plants as Anemone Nemerosa and Fritillaria Meleagris.
FREESIA
Mostly grown in greenhouses and under glass, freesias will survive outside through the following winter but only in the mildest areas. Grown in 5-inch pots, they will sit most comfortably with sticks to support the stems as they begin to grow. It’s a popular cut flower because of its delightful jewel-bright colours and a fragrance that will fill any room.
FRITILLARIA
This family of plants is very varied in shape and size, and suitable for many conditions. For example, Fritillaria Meleagris is small and shy, just longing for a meadow or wild garden. Other types can be very tall and formal, like the elaborate Crown Imperials that will stand upright and firm in your borders. Each variety listed in this section has plenty of information about their suitability so you can get the very best results.
GALANTHUS (Snowdrop)
As snowdrops push through in early January, you know it’s time to start thinking about the spring season ahead. Perfect for naturalising, snowdrops team up well with Eranthis Hyemalis (Winter Aconites) and bluebells to create swathes of beautiful early blooms.
Semi-shade conditions are ideal for these perfectly formed, white, bell-shaped flowers. We also supply Galanthus Nivalis (single snowdrop) and Flora Pleno (double snowdrop) ‘in the green’ as young plants from mid-February to early March.
GLADIOLUS BYZANTINUS
A smaller and more delicate example of the Gladioli family that flowers in early summer, its deep magenta colour and curved leaves make this a magnificent species. The Gladiolus is fully hardy and works surprisingly well in grassy areas, due to its strong stem. Consider combining naturally with an equally tall variety such as Allium Christophii, for an eye-catching duo!
HYACINTHOIDES NON SCRIPTA (The English Bluebell)
A familiar sight and smell is sure to greet you in any English woods during mid spring as the ground is carpeted with the violet, nodding bell-shaped flower of the true English Bluebell. Self-seeding, they will continue to spread in large clumps each year. This variety is also available ‘in the green’ from March.
Our English Bluebells are cultivated and not taken from wild sources.
HYACINTHOIDES HISPANICA (Scilla Campanulata)
Hyacinthoides Hispanica, a native of Spain and Portugal, can be easily identified against the English Bluebell. Spanish types are larger and come in blues, whites and pinks. They look great as a mixture and are very effective in borders amongst shrubs and trees, and will naturalise beautifully in shaded areas.
IPHEION
Attractive, hardy bulbs from South America, they do well in drained soil and can be left to naturalise. This brave flower may burst prematurely into growth, risking leaf damage from frost, but their real display in April will not be harmed.
Ipheion will create large patches of flowers quite quickly. Dividing and re-planting can be carried out in late summer whilst the plants are dormant and should be kept only just moist through this time.
IXIA (Corn Lily)
Ixia can be grown in pots under glass or in a sunny position in sandy, well-drained soil. These dainty varieties will produce up to a dozen flowers per stem in late spring or early summer and make perfect cut flowers for a vase indoors.
IXIOLIRION
Planted amongst alpines in your rockery or sunny border, Ixiolirion will produce violet-blue, trumpet-shaped flowers. If you’re keen to grow bulbs in the greenhouse for flower arranging, this would be an ideal choice.
LEUCOJUM (Snowflakes)
Showing nodding, white bell-shaped flowers in the spring, you would be excused for thinking this was a very large snowdrop. However Leucojum are taller and come much later with a distinctive bright green spot on the end of each petal. You should plant them in clumps in your garden or in grassland. If your soil is dry and sandy, digging leaf mould or compost into the ground to help maintain moisture would be beneficial.
LILIUM
Lilies provide everything you could wish for in a garden plant. Available in a range of beautiful colours, each type shows grace and elegance. Most of our lily varieties are supplied in the spring with the exception of Candidum and Martigon, which are for autumn planting. Flowering in from June to July, they provide a wonderful scent and an opportunity of a superb cut flower.
MUSCARI (Grape Hyacinth)
Also known as the ‘Grape Hyacinth’, this really is a jack-of-all-trades! Perfect for naturalizing, Muscari are equally as good when used as to fill gaps in your borders and compliment tulips and daffodils perfectly. They will take to any well-drained soil and are self-seeding. Don’t worry if they become a little congested – just lift, split and replant the extras elsewhere. Try planting them in a pot with Narcissus Tête á Tête for a gorgeous combination.
NECTAROSCORDUM (Mediterranean Bells)
A wonderful plant from the Allium family. You’ll notice the similarity if you crush the foliage, which will then (and only then) give off a strong smell of garlic, just like other Alliums. The leafless stem stands tall to reveal bell-shaped flowers, striped in maroon and cream. Unusually, after fertilisation seedpods will form and the stem will stiffen and turn upright. They prefer sun or partial shade and will grow in any soil.
ORNITHOGALUM
Attractive silvery-white and green flowered plants, Ornithogalum offer grow well in borders, pots and rock gardens. A sunny or partial shade position in any well-drained soil will ensure that the Ornithogalum thrive. Positions providing too much shade may make the flowers stubborn and reluctant to open.
OXALIS
Before planting Oxalis in a small clump in your garden be sure to know the type you are planting. We supply Adenophylla & Versicolour, types that are non-invasive and are ideal for pots and rock gardens. Adenophylla will bloom in late spring and Versicolour are perfect for winter pots.
PUSCHKINIA
Another perfect choice for rockery planting or naturalising, Puschkinia are also an inexpensive option for mass planting. If grown in full sun or partial shade they are quick to multiply, and produce masses of flower spikes bearing a dozen or more bells on each spike.
RANUNCULUS
Ranunculus in mixed colours make great garden subjects but are also popular as cut flowers. Displayed in vase indoors, they are very long lasting. The fern-like foliage that appears when young will die down in the summer, although this does not affect the look of this flower in any way. To give them the best start in life, soak the tubers in water for 24 hours before planting.
SCILLA
Scilla are definitely something a spring garden should not be without. The delightful little squills of blue in its erect stance make it impossible to resist. They will be happy in any well-drained soil and can be divided easily after time to make further Scilla displays in the future.
SPARAXIS (Harlequin Flower)
Sparaxis in vibrant mixed colours look very special in your rockery or in pots. If early temperatures are particularly cold, it may be best to pot them up and start off in a greenhouse or cold frame. This flower is not too happy in the cold, but is worth all the effort of your care!
STERNBERGIA LUTEA
This bright yellow flower blooms in autumn, and despite a resemblance to the crocus, is actually related to the daffodil. Sternbergia provides a welcome splash of late colour to the rockery or among long grass. Be sure to plant with good drainage in a sunny position.
TRITELEIA (Brodiaea)
Originating from Northwest America, these violet-blue clusters that appear at the top of a long, narrow stem will settle happily in an English garden. A pleasure in the early summer, you should plant these in well-drained soil with good light. Triteleia flowers are widely used in floristry.
ZANTEDESCHIA (Arum Lily)
The blooms of this exquisite plant unroll from tightly scrolled stems and reveal a pure white, large curled spathe with a yellow spadix standing proud. Flowering occurs over several months, with each bloom lasting for at least three weeks. The hardy rhizomes can be planted in a sunny, but moist position in flowerbeds. They are naturally happy at the side of a pond, but you can also place them in a planting basket, sink the basket in the water and grow them as a marginal plant.