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Gardening

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Bulbs for a spring and summer of colour - novice!

7 replies

SoTiredNeedHoliday · 16/09/2021 15:33

Hello,
I am a complete novice but am setting up a 'cottage garden' style bed. I have some lovely David Austin Roses (Desdemona), lavender, rosemary and mint, salvia (clotted cream, purple and pink).

I'd like to plant some bulbs too. What should I go for? I am hoping to get some that will flower at different times in the spring and summer. I have daffodils but that's it.

I'd love to hear your thoughts

OP posts:
Autumnscene · 16/09/2021 16:40

Spring bulbs could include snowdrops, aconites, crocus, hyacynith , tulips. Alliums are early summer i think, gladioli for late summer.

Janedownourlane · 16/09/2021 18:38

I love all alliums and Purple Sensation is easy to grow. I also planted some Allium Sphaerocephalon this year in groups which I loved so have ordered loads more for next year. P. Sensation flower around May but the A. Sphaerocephalon are much later, July I think.
Most bulbs will do well if you buy nice plump ones and follow the planting depth instructions. They do dislike a boggy wet soil over winter so I plant in pots then transplant them in April.
Plant a bit ramdomly for a cottage style in small groups, avoining straight lines.

LeafOfTruth · 16/09/2021 18:38

I love aliums and from that family are Nectaroscordum siculum - which are one of my favourites. May-June flowering.

Not strictly a bulb but Crocosmia (corms) provide later summer colour.

Also lilies for mid-late(ish) summer.

Late summer colour also includes dahlias which are cottagey and not bulbs (tubers) but again a similar approach and effect.

Janedownourlane · 16/09/2021 18:39

avoiding

SoTiredNeedHoliday · 17/09/2021 10:53

thank you all. I have just bought some Aliums in various shades Smile

OP posts:
viques · 17/09/2021 19:28

Early bulbs like crocus and snowdrops come up in Jan/ Feb.

Then you have a bit of a rush with the daffodils and the little specie tulips, chindoxia, (spelling) , anemomes, hyacinths, grape hyacinths.

Followed by the big tulips, and the showy stuff like crown imperials, early alliums , lilies etc. Then in summer you can have gladioli, arum Lily, hemerocallis ,crocosmia and the huge alliums.

Within these groups there will be a spread of flowering time, so some of the early specie tulips could be flowering by late feb to March while others could be as late as April/ may . You need to check the variety.

This means that if you are canny you can use the same ground/pot for different varieties by lasagne planting in layers.

Most bulbs are reasonably easy to grow, plant to at least twice the height of the bulb, and pointed end up. ( except for anemomes which look like hard squashed grapes. I find some bulbs very hard , anemomes in particular. Many bulbs.don’t like getting their feet wet, so if you can give them a bit of grit to sit on they will be happy.

If you plant in pots then try to cover the pots to stop squirrels digging them up for you. I saved some wire racks from an old cooker, some shelves from a greenhouse and some old wire hanging baskets which I use, but I still have to weigh them down. Bulbs in a border will have to take their chances.

savvy7 · 18/09/2021 13:44

Muscari would be nice with the daffodils

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